


The Mech Who Brought Widowmaker to Heel

by PhantomPhan16, VicenteValtieri



Series: The Matrasson RPS [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Matrassons, Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Hunt, Intrigue, M/M, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 10:06:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13611114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomPhan16/pseuds/PhantomPhan16, https://archiveofourown.org/users/VicenteValtieri/pseuds/VicenteValtieri
Summary: Widowmaker: The insane scientist. This is the partial story of the hunt and how he was brought down.





	The Mech Who Brought Widowmaker to Heel

Cas found himself flung into the middle of the duck pond in front of a massive, stone building. His sudden appearance caused some surprise from the passing humans about him, but other than a guard approaching him and the displaced and squawking duckz, no one really seemed bothered.

His scream came as a surprise even to himself, and he clapped his servos out his mouth and huddled down, shaking.

The guard - marked from the others by his scarlet and gold uniform and the electrified pike he was carrying, waved up at the Cybertronian. "Greetings and welcome to Matrasson Berlin."

The Seeker stared at him. "B... Berlin? The human city?"

"Well, Matrasson Berlin, which is home to sentient beings of many species, but close enough."

"I... please I just want to go home."

"Certainly. I'll call Mother and we'll figure out where you belong, but first... Do you mind transforming for me?"

"Why?"

"So that you can walk about without stepping on people?" The guard suggested.  
The sound of jets cut the air and three Seekers came in for a landing overhead.

Cas gaped up at them.

The Seekers used their bipedal thrusters to slow themselves down, then when they were at a safe distance from the ground, they suddenly shrank and became human themselves, landing on the wide lawn. "Hardcastle. What's going on?" The lead Seeker walked over.

"New arrival." Cas was shaking again.

The Seeker looked up. "Looks like a Seeker. What, he can't return to his baseline?"  
"I think this is his baseline and that he's not from the 'Scape."

"I was thrown here... through a portal."

“…Thrown? BY who?”

"They called themselves Readyset and Domino."

The two stared at him and the person who had been a Seeker turned and headed for the Palace. "I'll get Mother."

Cas miserably crawled out of the pond and huddled down.

"Aww... I bet you're having a really bad day." The guard patted his shin. "Don't worry, we'll get all this sorted out soon."

"I just want to go home."

"That might not be possible if you've compromised Readyset and Domino's operation, but we'll do our best to make you at home here."

Cas buried his faceplates in his arms as they waited for this mysterious "Mother".

"Well this is a pickle straight from the barrel beneath the staircase." A sharp, but feminine voice broke in on them. "Howdy. I'm the Matra Pseudo Biblica, but please, call me Mother. Everyone does."

He looked for the speaker.

She was standing right next to the guardsman. A human female with blonde hair in a swinging braid and a black suit. "Yeah... You're gonna need a human form. Hold still a moment." She pulled a pen out of her pocket and stabbed the nub into Cas's pede, letting some ink flow into him.

He shrank down to about 5' 8", an obviously dual-gender a gorgeous mix of masculine and feminine, with soft curves in the right places but not enough to make someone immediately think he was a woman. His eyes were sapphire blue like his pain, and his hair was long, falling in a silken cascade of chocolate brown down to the small of his back. His terrified expression didn't quite mask his natural beauty, which had carried over from his mech form. His hands flew to his chest. "My sparklet!"

"Easy." The Matra - shorter than Cas by about an inch - set a hand on his shoulder. "If you were sparked, your baby will have translated over too." She patted his stomach. "There they are. Congratulations."

He shied away from her. "Change me back!" He was shaking yet again. "I just want to go home!"

"Easy. You can't go home because by now, Domino's already explained your disappearance." The Matra explained. "You stumbled on something you shouldn't have seen. Can't really blame you. Curiosity is a Matrasson trait."

"I'm a Seeker! A Cybertronian! I don't care what they're doing and who you are!"

"Actually, you're a character class I haven't seen before. Well, I have, just not in this form." The Matra tapped her chin, thinking. "Anyway, nothing will get solved if we stand around jabbering. If you'd be most comfortable around Cybertronians, then I guess we'd better get you some Character Goggles and head you over to the Shocktrooper Base."

"I'm not going anywhere!" He was terrified, and she was not making things better for him.

"...I hate it when they freak out." The Matra sighed. She turned and gave a sharp whistle. A woman with clipped red hair came forward, long coat flapping slightly. There were optics inset into her face instead of eyes. "Mercy, do you mind helping Cas here to calm down?"  
"Of course, Mother. Why don't you come with me, kiddo? I'm sure we can help." Mercy smiled, something very calming about her presence and her encouraging blue optics.

Cas growled. "Stay away from me!"

"Well, you can't just stand here beside the pond." Mercy waved her Mother away. "Let's at least get out of the sun."

"No. I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Then I guess we'll just stand here." Mercy sighed and looked up at the sun. She pulled out a pair of sunglasses with pink plastic rims and set them on her nose. Cas noticed that she had two pairs in her pocket.

He wrinkled his nose. "Prepared?"

"Oh, no, one's my HUD and the other's just to protect from the sun. Most soldiers have two pairs like this."

"I need to get out of here," he muttered.

"Well, if I were in your shoes, I would try making it seem like I'm helpless to the others around me in the hopes of finding a way back." Mercy pointed out. "That would make it easier to blend in in the hopes that they would eventually lead me to what I need."

Cas sat down on the grass with a sigh, feeling tears building up as everything finally seemed to sink in.

Mercy settled beside him, the gold wing-like motif on her back visible as she turned around to face the Palace with him.

He buried his face and finally let himself cry.

Mercy put a gentle arm around him and patted his shoulders. They began to gather a crowd of the Matrassons. Apparently, giant robots weren't noteworthy, but distress was.

"Please I don't want to be here," he sobbed.

"I understand, Cas. Really, I do, but there isn't a choice right now. Let's just get you some tea and see if you feel better." Mercy offered.

This time he didn't resist, and she led him away.

Mercy took him up through the Main Concourse and into the living section of the Palace where the apartments were located. Mercy herself didn't live here, but she had friends who did and they went to Lifeguard's apartment.  
Lifeguard looked much the same as Mercy, except that his optics were red instead of blue and his skin was darker. "Mercy? Who's this?"  
"A friend. Do you mind us borrowing your apartment for a bit?"  
"Of course not. Come in." Lifeguard let them into a small, but cozy home.

"Who... what... are you?" Cas asked.

"Where are my manners?" Mercy put a hand on her breast. "I am Mercy, a member of the Heavy Metal Angels, a combat medic, and this is Lifeguard, who has the same specification in addition to a shield support status."  
"I'm a G1 STARSCREAM character class and Mercy is a SHATTERED GLASS STARSCREAM." Lifeguard explained further.

"Starscream?!"

"No, no... That's not our names." Mercy shook her head. "That is our Character Class - the person we came from and were modeled on."

"But the Starscream and Prime from my dimsenion... they've been replaced. Are they here?"

"That would be standard procedure." Lifeguard nodded.

"Please I want to see them, or at least Starscream."

"That would be something we'd have to talk to General Starscream about. He's the one who keeps the Shocktrooper Undercover records." Lifeguard explained.

"I hate this place."

"Most do at first." Lifeguard patted his arm. "Come on. I'll take you to the General. He should be here at the Palace right now. I know his address."

Cas jerked his arm away but followed Lifeguard.'

"Oh, before you go!" Mercy dug in her subspace. "Character Goggles. They might help you adjust." She handed a pair of what appeared to be standard safety glasses to Cas.

"What do they do?"

"Put them on and see."

He gave her a look. "No," he deadpanned.

"Please?"

"I said no."

"Ugh. There's nothing wrong with them." Lifeguard snatched the goggles and put them on. Nothing happened. He was just wearing goggles. "See? Now put the bloody things on."

"No! I have no reason to trust you, and I don't."

Lifeguard flipped the goggles off of his face and put them onto Cas's without waiting for further arguments. Suddenly, the apparently human characters took on a decidedly Cybertronian form - a red and white Seeker, with their wings folded down across their back.

Cas ripped them off and threw them into Lifeguard's face. He turned on Mercy. "Why do you have Cybertronian looking optics instead of human ones?"

"Hey, bucko, what are those in your head?" Lifeguard pointed. "All Cybertronian characters' human forms have optics instead of eyes."

"I can't see myself," he snapped back.

"Well, it's a trait." Mercy intervened in the approaching argument. "It just is."

"Lets just find Starscream," Cas sighed.

"Agreed. Come on, Mercy." Lifeguard led the way out.

Cas followed him, though he wanted nothing more than to go home.

They went upstairs to the larger apartments with better views and Lifeguard knocked on one of the doors. He produced a bottle of white wine seemingly from nowhere and lifted it to the peephole. "Not above bribery." He commented to no one in particular.

The door opened.

General Starscream easily towered over them all. His amber optics were hexagonal and his face had a perpetual frown. "Lifeguard, what do you want?"  
"We need some information. I brought something to barter." Lifeguard shook the bottle at him. "Albarino. Your favorite."  
The large man sighed. "Come in."

They went in, and his gaze lingered on Cas. "Newcomer?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. You know Readyset and Domino are on assignment? Apparently this one saw them being themselves." Mercy explained.  
"And you want me to find where we've put the originals. All right, all right..." General Starscream went over to a computer and fired it up. "Let me check... If I remember right, they got married about ten years back, but I don't remember their names."  
"Rubenxia and Moray." A soft, Feminine voice told General Starscream and a Chiss stepped out of one of the back rooms in the apartment. She had wide eyes and close-clipped hair. Elegant. "We went to their tenth anniversary just last month."

"Where can I find them?"

"Lightning Base." Starscream looked at him. "Which you should probably have been taken to anyway."

"Lets go," said Lifeguard.

"Thank you for the wine, Lifeguard." Hepburn walked them to the door.  
Once out, Lifeguard led them down to the subterranean parking garage. "Come on. I parked on B5 - it's a red Accord with a convertible top."

Cas stopped listening. He hated this place. It meant nothing to him, and he wanted only to leave. He cursed it all, hated it all. They wanted him to just accept, not happening. This wasn't home. It wouldn't be home.

The three Seekers got into Lifeguard's convertible and the head mech put on a disk of classic Matrasson specialties. They got out on the road and headed towards Lightning base, which was outside of Matrasson Berlin by a good fifty miles.

Cas paid no attention. He was now just past caring.

They pulled through the checkpoint and Lifeguard parked in another garage. Stepping out, he, Mercy and Cas walked to a safe distance before Mercy and Lifeguard shot up into their Cybertronian forms. "Come on, Cas. You can change back here. Everything's built to our scale."

"How?"

"Well, focus on your other form. Think about what you feel when you're in it."

He changed back into his Seeker form. "Human, Cybertronian, make up your minds," he mumbled.

"No. Being both is a perk, not a punishment. Come on." Lifeguard pointed towards what appeared to be a Cybertronian sized neighborhood much like a suburb. There were apartment buildings as well, but the place Lifeguard led them to was a single-story ranch with a drive and a pair of Seekerlets and a young Convoy playing in front of it. "Hello, littles. Are your parents home?"  
The young convoy looked up and waved. "Mom and Dad are inside. Want me to get them?"  
"Oh, no, we wouldn't dream of disturbing your play. We'll just go up and knock. Thank you."

Lifeguard knocked on the door, and Starscream opened the door.

"Hello." Starscream looked Lifeguard over. "Lieutenant Lifeguard. What brings you?"  
"An old friend." Lifeguard gestured to Cas.

Starscream's optics widened. "Cas?! How-" "Your doubles threw me in here."

"Oh, I see you got the same treatment Moray and I did. It's Rubenxia now, by the way. Come in." Rubenxia stepped aside and held the door.

 

Cas stepped in, wings tucked in. "You shouldn't have to give up your own name."

"Let's put it this way: If I had insisted on being called Starscream, no one would have known who I was."

Cas growled. "I hate it here. When right do they think they have to go into other dimensions and replace people?!"

"...They're arbiters. People who protect and police other worlds. You could say they have ultimate authority."

"That's total slag! I don't care if they THINK that, but they shouldn't worry about any dimension but their own! Taking us from our home.... they can go to Pit for all I care."

"Has anyone mentioned the Gravemind to you yet?"

"No."

"The Matrassons are fighting it - protecting us and most people don't even know about it." Rubenxia poured two cups of tea and set them on the table. "That's why Domino and Readyset were sent to our dimension."

"... I don't care." "Cas-" "They were going to kill me! Why should I care when they were ready to kill me?!"

"Were they actually going to kill you or did Domino just say that?"

"They were going to kill, and the only reason they didn't is because I'm sparked, so instead they threw me in here!"

"...I can see how that would be a problem. Of course, you realize that you would be considered enemy espionage if you were- SPARKED?" His wings flew up for a teek.

Sure enough the blue Seeker was sparked. The sparklet hadn't descended yet but soon would.

"This is amazing, Cas." Starscream smiled. "Whose is it?"

Cas bowed his helm. ".... Megatron's."

"...Oh, Cas... I'm sorry." Rubenxia stroked his wing.

"I just want to go home," he said softly.

"I know how you feel." Rubenxia sighed. "But you can't. You can stay here for a few days, but I doubt you'll be allowed to live at Lightning Base permanently."

His headfins pinned back. "Where would I go?"

"Someone will come to talk to you about jobs, job training, that sort of thing. There are tons of resources for adopts."

"One of my Seekers. He got the same treatment we did it seems." Cas shifted closer to Rubenxia. Seekers were social, and he was once his Winglord so he felt a connection, and here in a world of strangers and things he both didn't understand and hated, he felt that connection a little more strongly.

"Oh. You'll like it here when you settle in." Moray assured him.

"One of my Seekers. He got the same treatment we did it seems." Cas shifted closer to Rubenxia. Seekers were social, and he was once his Winglord so he felt a connection, and here in a world of strangers and things he both didn't understand and hated, he felt that connection a little more strongly.

"One of my Seekers. He got the same treatment we did it seems." Cas shifted closer to Rubenxia. Seekers were social, and he was once his Winglord so he felt a connection, and here in a world of strangers and things he both didn't understand and hated, he felt that connection a little more strongly.

"Oh. You'll like it here when you settle in." Moray assured him.

"Stop it! I don't care! I REFUSE to stay in this place!"  
2:14 PM  
"Uh-huh. And where do you want to go?" Rubenxia leaned on one servo.

"Home. Where I belong."

"Home being a world ravaged and near uninhabitable because of our long-standing and utterly stupid war?"

 

"Home being people I know, Earth, anywhere but HERE where nothing makes sense and there are... duplicates of you running around."

"...You realize that in a few decades our story would have ended and you'd have been born here anyway?"

"Maybe I wouldn't be so confused and lost then." He stood up.

"True. You'd have had all your life to adjust."

"Thank you for the tea," he said stiffly, turning to go.

"Where are you going?"

"... I don't know."

"Maybe you should take a walk or a flight." Moray suggested. "Come back when you get tired."

Cas nodded and left. He couldn't muster the will to fly and so walked aimlessly.

Lightning Base was a beautiful place. The more suburb like areas were built neatly with six houses on each row and groupings of apartment buildings surrounded the neighborhood. In spite of the fact that it was built with alleys and closely packed homes with small front yards, nothing about it felt confining.

He found a park and sat down on a bench.

More Seekers - he refused to think of them as STARSCREAMS - with exotic paintjobs and detailing were walking about, some with animals on leashes others with their sparklings. Many were wearing caps and other symbols of rank and they all seemed to defer to each other exactly right. There were many, many other cybertronians walking about. One Rodimus was walking three puppies who jumped on Cas as they passed, yapping.

He gathered them up. "Sorry."

"No problem." Cas observed the comparative size of the dogs. "Umm... What kind of dogs are they?"  
"Oh, just mutts. I think Ruby here is part Lab."

"What's a Cybertronian doing with dogs? I'd be worried about crushing them."

"Oh, Lightning Base is special. We can walk about in our Cybertronian forms here and still be at human scale. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but I'm told that it's the same thing that character goggles do, except you don't have to wear glasses."  
\  
Cas snorted. "Maybe for you. I got thrown here from my dimension."

"Oh, you're new!" The Rodimus stuck out a hand. "Welcome. I'm Flamehead, Tannenbaum's husband."

Cas shook it. "Cas."

"Welcome to the family. I hope you settle in well."

"... Thanks."

"Well, I have to get home. Tanny will be coming off shift. Nice to meet you, Cas. Come for dinner sometime." Flamehead handed him a card with his name, number, and address.

He sighed and returned to Moray and Rubenxia's home. He kept to himself for the most part, but began reading about cooking and how to live as everyone else did, more like... humans.

Rubenxia was very supportive, but also busy. She ran the area homeschoolers group and Valentine's day was coming, so setting up a party was her job.

Cas knew he couldn't stay with them forever. He had to stand on his own pedes.

"Maybe we could find you a job in recquisitions. Warehouses always need good, organized people."

"For? I'm sparked, remember? Any really physical won't be kept long," he said. Even in human form Cas was more male than female. He refused to go fully one or the other. He was a Carrier MECH and would stay such.

"To take inventory. Most of the physical work would be taken care of with machines. Or maybe hospitality. I think the officer's mess at the Simulation Center is looking for another wait staff."

"That might work I suppose."

"I'll have Moray bring you a form. He works at Simulation Center."

"Thank you. Maybe I'll be out of your wires soon."

"Oh, it's fine. We like having you, though I bet Henry wants his room back." Rubenxia laughed.  
Henry was their oldest son.

Cas smiled back. He was slowly adjusting. He still wasn't a fan of the Scape, but he really had no other choice. He found a real passion and talent in cooking.

Moray brought him the form. It had to be stamped by the Base Commander because Cas wasn't in their system yet, but Moray knew said Commander, so that process was easy.  
"You can stay here until you've had your first paycheck and been assigned an apartment." Rubenxia assured Cas.  
Henry, the young Convoy, came and hugged Cas's leg. "I don't mind you being in my room. Honest. You help with Raina and Dryad." His two younger sisters could be grating for the older sibling.

He picked up the youngster and hugged him. "Thank you, Henry. Maybe once I'm settled in you could spend the night once in a while if your parents say it's all right."

"Once in awhile." Moray agreed. "But not on school nights."  
"Aww... But we're homeschooled."  
"That doesn't mean you don't need sleep."

Cas chuckled and turned back to his simmering pot of hearty, creamy chicken and dumplings. "It's almost done. Why don't you set the table, Henry?"

Henry rushed to the cabinet and got the silver and napkins out. "Okay!"

Cas dished out the warm stew, and everyone sat down.

"Smells delicious." Rubenxia came in from shift and took off her beret. She was a Lieutenant and so wore the cover.

"Thank you." After dinner Cas filled out the form, and then it was a waiting game.

"You'll go in for an interview, but you haven't had any mental issues and no history of violence, so there's no reason you shouldn't get the posting."

He nodded, and after the interview thankfully got the job.

The weeks passed fairly peacefully and Cas received his first paycheck. It was generous to say the least and there was his sign-on bonus. After that, he was assigned an apartment not too far from Rubenxia and Moray.

It was a nice apartment, but he still bristled at having no freedom to choose his own home.

"It's the military, hon." Moray helped him move. "Everything is based on rank, family, and a system of records. It's so much simpler in many ways."

"So what? Finding a home you like is part of the experience. I don't care if it's military."

"When every beginning apartment and house is exactly the same, there's no real point to having that kind of choice. Though, I'll be honest, no one wants a view of the Garden."

"What's wrong with the Garden?"

"It's code. The Garden is the place where Shocktroopers go when they've been on campaign too long, if you know what I mean." Moray nodded to the towering green building near the Lightning Base.

Cas sighed. Almost right away he put aside what he could when he could. He was no fool and knew it was best to save and have something in case of emergency or true need. For the most part he enjoyed he work, though he longed to be cooking instead of serving.

Though, when serving, he did meet interesting people, like Roxabelle - who struck him immediately. "Waiter, I'll take the chicken. Make it fast, I have to bust heads in the Sim." Roxabelle was one of the most experienced troopers on base and assigned to Simulation Training for newbies.

Cas bit back a retort about manners and simply took the order.

Roxabelle was a regular, always abrasive, always wrapped in a bathrobe, and always interesting. One day, she asked Cas to box her a dinner as well as a lunch. "I know it isn't usual, but do me a favor, will you?"

"Got plans?" he asked as he did so.

"No. The new cook at The Garden is just awful." Roxabelle sighed, flopping back. "So there's nothing good to eat at dinner. It'll be fixed soon, I just don't want to have to eat swill tonight."

Cas immediately perked up. "Are they looking for a replacement?"

"I guess. But Cas, take my advice, you don't want to work any shift at the Garden. You do, you'll never get away. That and I don't want your good opinion of me tarnished more than it already is."

"What do you mean I'll never get away?"

"Let's say it's something that can haunt your resume."

"That's not any clearer."

"It's a high-profile, high-paying position. You get in, you're set for life on a career track that can take you to supervisor of one of the most prestigious Mental Health Institutes in the world. At the same time, you'll have to sign a form that states that you will never talk about, record, or take note of what you see. So, you can't put it on your resume if you want to leave."

Cas nodded. "It sounds like money I could use, but... maybe not so worth it, especially being sparked."

"Smart mech. You want to help? Box a dinner for me, please."

He set the two boxes down. "Done. I can talk and work at the same time."

"Two boxes? You must like me, Cas." Roxabelle put them into her subspace.

 

"Well maybe someday I'll have a diner of my own for you to eat at," he said with a smirk.

"Heh. I'd order lunch at your place everyday."

He smiled. "I gotta get back to work." He walked away, and she opened the boxes. In one was the dinner she ordered to go, and in the other was a homepacked meal, Cas's own lunch from home.

"...Cute." She smiled and put them back in. "Sweet thing."  
The next day, Roxabelle walked in with a newbie - a newly-minted Captain of a Squad. They were arguing over his performance in Roxabelle's Classic Sim. "...You lasted three minutes, yeah. So what? You never get good right at the beginning."  
"But..." The Captain sighed. "What about Carice? He's so much better at this."  
"Hey, General Starscream made you Captain, not Carice. Time will tell why." Roxabelle looked up at Cas. "Hello, Cas. This is Captain Atroys."

"Nice to meet you. Have a good dinner last night, Roxabelle?"

"It was great, thanks." Roxabelle looked at the menu. "Oo... I'll take the scallops today, with Butternut."  
"I'm not hungry." Atroys had his hands between his knees. "...My first day on the job and I mess up big time."

"Well, as a medic, I can say nothing cures a bad mood better than a good, rich cheating sweet," he said, smiling at the mech.

"...Something with chocolate and cream cheese, if you have it."

Cas brought the dessert and drinks out first and set a a huge cream puff drizzled with chocolate in front of Atroys along with a spoon. "We didn't have anything with cream cheese, but this is a favorite of the desserts."

"Good enough." He sighed and leaned on the table. "I just don't understand what went wrong."  
"Atroys, no one passes the Roxabelle Sim." Cas told him matter-of-factly. "And I've seen more than one Captain in her with her talking it over."  
The young STARSCREAM seemed to inflate slightly. "Really?"

Cas nodded. "Really."

Atroys smiled slightly into the cream puff. "Thank you. That makes me feel a bit better."

"You're welcome." He soon brought out Roxabelle's meal.

"Uh... I guess i'll have some of that too, if that's okay." Atroys smiled at Cas.

"Sure, unless you want to look over the menu for something else."

"No, I like everything." Atroys explained. "So scallops will be great."

"Everything? I've never met someone who likes everything."

"Well, I don't like eggplant."

He smiled. "See? You don't like everything," he said with a wink as he walked off to get the order.

Atroys smiled into his creampuff. "...He's nice."  
"He's an adopt. Be careful talking abotu family."

"Seems pretty put together for an adopt. How long has he been here  
?"

"He's not new, but he's not old either. And no, he's not married."

Atroys blinked. "What? I didn't ask-

"I am 48 million years old, Atroys. I know when a mech is interested in someone else."

Cas brought his food before he could reply.

"Speak of the devil, thank you, Cas."

"You're welcome. Enjoy." He disappeared into the eomployee bathroom. He cursed Megatron as he purged. The warlord has him rebuilt internally to carry and birth like a grounder before leaving Cybertron to see if it would work, it had, but an attack by extremist wanting to end to command of the Decepticons and Autobots had killed many, including the sparkling, before he'd even gotten to name his son. He touched his abdomen. At least it wouldn't happen here, or so he hoped.

His boss - a SHATTERED STARSCREAM - looked in. "You okay, Cas?"

"Just great. Morning sickness is all."

"What a beautiful burden we bear." Ylari smiled. "Do you need anything?"

"My dimension's Megatron's helm on a stick. Slagger had me rebuilt internally to carry like a grounder."

"I think Domino will oblige when she can."

Cas scowled. "Yeah well I'm still want her helm, too. It's her fault I'm here."

"Hey. She's a soldier working undercover. It's the hardest job on our roster and no one asked you to follow her."

"I wouldn't have had she kept in character. Did she think no one was going to question her changes?"

"Uh..." Ylari shrugged. "Domino has been on five missions with no breaks in between in the last month, kiddo. That's the equivalent of almost 20000 years of time working constantly. We're strapped for undercover agents."

Cas sighed and left the bathroom. "Whatever. I need to get back to work."

"Take it easy." Ylari advised. "And I know a good doctor for sparklings, you might want to talk to him."

"Thanks." After work Cas trudged home, yawning. "Talk about a boring last hour," he mumbled.

Moray was waiting outside his door. "...Hey, Cas."

"Hi," he yawned. "Rough shift?" "Slow at the end. So boring I thought I was going to doze on my pedes."

"Well, then, my request is going to sound... Spectacularly sparkless and greedy."

"What's up?"

"You're aware that Rubenxia works at the... Classified building."

"Yeah."

"There was an accident. A bad one. I'm here to see if you can watch the kids at our house while I stay with Rue at the hospital."

"Primus... Yeah, Moray, of course."

"Thanks, Cas. I'll walk you home, pay the sitter, that sort of thing. It's... It's bad, Cas. Really bad."

"Any idea what happened?"

"I can't talk about it." Moray pressed his lipplates together.

"Of course not." The sparklings scampered to their father then greeted Cas with cuddles and purrs.

"Dad? Where's Mom?" Henry questioned.  
"Mommy is coming home, all right, Henry?" Moray hugged his son. "It's just going to take awhile because something dangerous happened at her work and it needs to be sorted."

"Oh..." "Chin up, your mom's tough, and I'll be here," Cas said.

"I'll be back in the morning to teach you guys your lessons, okay?" Moray promised his children, kissing their heads.

It was a quiet night after that, with Cas making dinner then bathing the sparklings before settling them into bed and crashing on the couch himself in a restless, worried sleep.

In the morning, Moray was back to tag him out, with some news. "Rue is trapped. In a white out vacuum."

"A what?"

"It's... It's a specialized prison. It keeps a Cybertronian alive, but... You can't interact with anything. It's like being asleep. Rue has been working on it for a long time apparently... yesterday it blew up in her face."

"So how do we get her out?"

"We don't do anything. The people who were working with her are doing all they can."

Cas sighed. "I'm sorry, Moray. I'm sure she'll up out of there soon."

"If I know Rue... She will." Moray sighed and looked down. "...Not a word to the kids, please."

"I won't. Go eat, breakfast is ready, but I need to get to work. Want me to take them? They can sit in a booth with some toys and cartoons on a datapad."

"No, you know how it is. I have leave until Rue comes home and is ready to resume her duties."

"Well you guys come by at lunch, okay? I'll see you later." He gave the convoy a friendly peck on the cheek and left for work

"We will." Moray promised.  
Roxabelle noticed Cas's mood when she came in for lunch. "...And what's wrong today, Cas? Still having morning sickness?"

"Friend got hurt on the job."

"...Rubenxia, isn't it."

"That's right." "Cas!" He turned and waved to Henry as Moray ushered the sparklings to a table.

 

"...Oh, god." Roxabelle sighed. "I'm so sorry for them. You know, I have no one like that and I think it's better. Just... Give me whatever. Go on and tend to your friends."

"All by your lonesome today? No Atroys to cheer up with banter?" he smirked, writing down a chicken dinner for her.

"Didn't have any new squads to put through the ringer today."

He smiled a little and gave her order before going to Moray and the sparklings. "Hello, sweetlings. Have you been good for your dad today?"

"Yes, they have." Moray chuckled as the twins hugged each of Cas's legs.

Cas rubbed their helms. "Sit down, darlings, so you can order."

"Okay." They climbed back into the booth and Moray picked up the menu. "This is uh... A ritzy place. You know, the normal mess hall is cafeteria style."

"It is nice. Maybe someday I'll have a diner of my own. How about drinks and you can think on what you want to eat?"

"Lemonades for the girls, Root Beer for Henry, and water for me." Moray smiled up at her. "Is that Roxabelle over there?"

"Sure is, and drinks coming right up." He sauntered off to get their drinks.

When he came back, Moray was leaning over Roxabelle, arguing something tightly and with their helms close together - In German. But Cas could pick up the word "Mother" over and over.

Others were looking nervously at them, so Cas stepped in middle, gently pushing Moray back. "Come on, no need to scare the sparklings."

Roxabelle leaned on the table and kept her mouth shut as Moray allowed himself to be led away.  
"You shouldn't have interrupted me." He muttered bitterly. "I'll never get a better chance at someone at high command."

"Rue is going to be fine. She's so stubborn she'll wake up and ask what took them so long."

"Probably. But... You know, the Matra does some pretty amazing things. If we could just get her to come out here... Maybe I'm just being... But you gotta try, you know? I'm not used to this whole attidue these people have, that everything is going to be okay."

"I know. I want to shake them until their optics rattle out of their helms sometimes."

"Yeah. Sometimes it feels like no one cares."

Cas nodded. By the end of the day he was exhausted and all but fell into his bed at home.

In the morning, Atroys came to the Officer's Mess for breakfast with a cracked optic and an angry look.

 

"Rough night?" Cas asked.

"Got into a fight with my Second."

"What are you doing at lunch?" Atroys looked at him. "Coming here I suppose." "How about lunch in the park instead? I planned to eat there for lunch today anyway, and I packed too much for just me and the bitlet."

"All right. The park sounds lovely. I have break at 1100.

"See you then. Now how about we get some good breakfast into you?"

"What's on the menu? I'm starving, Rox ran us ragged at Sim this morning."

Cas handed him the menu.

"I'll take the porkchops and avocado."

"Coming right up." Atroys watched him go then blinked. "Did he say bitliet?" he wondered to himself.

He raised his wings in a teek and then jerked them to a full, surprised height.

"You all right?" Cas asked, bringing him his coffee.

"I... Congratulations. Rox said you were single, so... Must have been... Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I've been through a lot of slag in my dimension, but I'm not going to be upset about a sparkling."

"Well. Congratulations. It feels healthy."

"Thank you." After breakfast Atroys went about his day, occasionally thinking on the beautiful mech.

He worked with his squad, training. For a long time, they worked together until 1100. Then they split up to spend lunch hour where they wanted to. Atroys headed to the Park.

Cas arrived a few minutes after him and set down on the grass with him, a container in hand. He opened to reveal, heated, mouth-watering smelling chicken pot pie. "I filled the container this morning in a hurry and realized I had too much only after I got to work." He held up two spoons, borrowed from work with permission.

"Well, it's nice to be invited. ...I heard about Rubenxia. I'm sorry. She was a friend, wasn't she?"

"She is a friend. She was also the Starscream of my dimension and my Winglord."

"I don't know many adopted Starscreams. I know there are a lot of them, but I never met any. Was she... Nice?"

"Here yes. Back home he was gruff but took of us. He was furious when Megatron took me."

"Oh. So, the sparkling... his?"

"Yes. Before we left Cybertron Megatron had me rebuilt internally to carry and birth like a grounder just to see if he could make it happen. It happened..."

"And here you are. Well, I have a friend who's a gynecologist if you need one."

"Thank you. I just want this one to be safe." The other Seeker looked at him. "I gave birth before we left, and a group of extremists tried to destroy both factions of command, and in the attack... my son was killed. I... I didn't even get to name him."

"...Then you should name him. Maybe have his name engraved on something."

Cas gave a shuddering sigh. "Well... lets eat before the food gets cold."

Atroys accepted his piece. "This smells great."

He took a bite. It was creamy, rich, bursting with flavor, the chicken was juicy and practically melted in his mouth, the crust was buttery and flaky, and the vegetables were the perfect compliment.

"Mm! You, you're a good cook." He nodded to Cas.

"Thank you. I learned while staying with Moray and Rue, and found I have a natural talent for it. I hope to, one day, have my own diner."

"I'd go to it and order your chicken pot pie every day."

Cas blushed, smiling.

"So, can we do this again? Deliberately this time?"

"Of course. How do you feel about Shepherd's Pie?"

"I like everything except eggplant."

"Now just wait, my sparkling will be the pickiest eater ever," he grinned.

"Even they'll have to admit your food is amazing."

He giggled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Atroys smiled.

It became a regular thing for them over the next week, even Cas juggled helping Moray with the sparklings and waiting for Rue to wake up.

It was taking forever. Even the twins were catching on that Mommy might never be coming home.

Cas was feeling the affects and so kept quiet when his sparklet descended and felt a little guilty as he found happiness around Atroys.

"You're quiet today." Atroys observed as they sat on a bench swing hanging from a tree.

He sighed. "I just... please don't be offended, but... I feel... gulity." "Guilty?" "About being happy when... Rue..."

"...Rubenxia. Yeah. I suppose that does hang heavily. You realize... she's going to be fine, Cas."

 

"How can you be so sure of that, Atroys?"

"Things usually are and she can't die, so there's that."

He leaned against the bigger Seeker with a sight.

"Funny story about this swing... They say this is where the Matra used to sit... when Lightning Base was new and she was here every few minutes... One day, when she was sitting here, the rope that was holding it up... broke."

"That's comforting..."

"So she fell. And General Starscream - he was always uptight - wanted to take all the swings down because they were dangerous. But the Matra... She stopped him. She said if he took the bench swings down, she would make them hang tire swings and the adults wouldn't have anywhere to sit and rock. She's funny that way."

"The sparklet descended," Cas said softly.

"That's great. Did it split?"

He shook his helm. "No. Just one, thank goodness. A half tank isn't the easiest to birth when you're my size."

"I can't wait to see him."

"There's a chance it'll be a femme. A small one, but it's still there."

"Well. Then I can't wait to see her." Atroys smiled. "...I hate to cut our time short, but I need to talk to someone."

"Come for dinner tonight?"

"No, not tonight. I'm a little busy."

"Oh, all right."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Cas kissed his cheek. "Tomorrow then."

"Bye." Atroys kissed his cheek back and headed off.

He hated watching the other mech leave. He felt so happy with him, happier than he ever remembered being.

It was a few days before the news came: A surprise inspection. The Matra was going through Lightning Base and she was going to eat lunch at the Officer's Mess in the Simulation Center.

The cook was a fairly new hire and caved with the stress from needing everything to be perfect. Ylari cursed. "Now what?" "I can cook," Cas offered.

"You can cook? Then get on the stove and mix something up for the Matra and High Command. Make it fast, but make it good."

Cas nodded and set to work and soon had a rich, creamy, thick, potato soup bubbling and filling the kitchen with the delicious smell.

They came in at noon. Seven heavy hitters. Six were organic, the seventh was General Starscream, but all eyes were on an unassuming woman with a matronly outlook wearing a black suit with a gold and black pen clipped to the pocket. Her long, bronze-blonde hair hung behind her in a swinging braid and she wore a big smile on her face.

Cas remembered her and brought out bowls of soup and fresh rolls.

"Hello! Settling in well?" She walked with a bounce.

"Well enough, aside from my friend being in the hospital," he said, setting the bowls down at the table for them.

"Rubenxia. She'll be fine this afternoon." The Matra looked down. "Potato soup?"  
Ylari was biting his digits in a panic.  
"Smells great. Is that roasted garlic?"

"Yes, my own addition."

"It's simple, but good." The Matra picked up the bowl and drained it. "Sorry we can't stick around. Have a nice day." She stood up and bounced out while her High Command sighed and tried to eat quickly.

Cas just went back to work with a sigh.

Cas walked down towards Moray and Rubenxia's house after work trying to go home. As he did, he saw two figures walking down towards the street. A blonde, bouncy woman on one side, an elegant STARSCREAM on the other.

"Rue?" He darted towards them. "Rue!"

"Cas!" Rubenxia waved. "I've been... Away for awhile."

"We've all be worried."

"I bet Moray is climbing the walls. Let's go see him, shall we?" Rubenxia suggested. "And... Well, our house is the last stop on the inspection tour. Someone reported rats."

"Rats? First I've heard of it."

"Well, I've been flooded with complaints about the state of Lightning Base lately." The Matra explained. "500 of them from Atroys."

"Atroys?"

"Oh, do I pronounce it funny? At - roy's."

"No. I... I know him."

"Well, he was a very dedicated Whistleblower, if only any of his claims had been truthful. I'll have to give him a nice, hard slap on the wrist."

Cas sighed, unable to figure out why Atroys would send so many complaints and apparently false ones at that. "I... I need to go." He hugged Rubenxia and headed for hom.

"Rats, of all things! I have seen no rats. The rats were a lie." The Matra and Rue walked down the street and the chatter seemed to follow them.

Moray and the sparklings practically mobbed Rue and swept her inside.

The Matra grinned and walked back down the homey street, disappearing behind a light post.  
In the morning, Atroys came for lunch.

 

Cas drew him aside and asked about the complaints.

"Well, they worked, didn't they? I mean, I got a good dressing down from Mother, but they got her here."

"You-" "Did all that to annoy her enough to come here so she could help Rubenxia." "Oh, Atroys." Cas kissed him.

Atroys wrapped his arms around Cas and kissed him back. “I take it I’m forgiven?”

"If you're free for dinner," Cas smirked.

"I think I am. And there's a nice bar - type place if you wanted to eat, drink... maybe dance." Atroys shrugged.

"I'm all for dancing. What time, love?"

"How about eight? Nothing too early or it will be crazy in there."

Cas kissed his nasal vent. "Have a seat, and I'll see you tonight." He sauntered back into the kitchen, still cooking after being cool under pressure and his food being happily received by customers.

Atroys turned up after Cas's shift to walk him over to the bar and dance floor. It was a place called the Opera and it had a classy, high-brow appeal. Everything was black or blue and it was all soft and soothing, though Cas noticed that the blue details were lighted and the colors could likely be changed at will. There was a dance floor and music was playing from a holographic stage where performers could strut their stuff on open-mic night or, as now, major bands played and danced in a form created out of suspended light.

He tucked himself against Atroys. "It's... different, but nice."

"I've only been here once. We can have Sushi, Sashimi, or Hot Pot and any kind of drink you can name. It's a full-service bar and the soundstage is controlled like an old jukebox, so if you want a specific song, we can put in a quarter and get it."

"No energex for me, love. Not with the bitlet. Sushi, hmm, I always wanted to try that."

"Well, there are virgin versions of everything. And I think we should try splitting a Tuna Tower. I love those things and they're a pretty good, non-fussy introduction to sushi."

"Sounds good. I think I'll go see what's in the jukebox." He sauntered over, gaining looks as he walked by.

Most of the patrons were older officers with their Covers on the tables beside them. Cas found a massive database of songs to listen to.

Some still gave him appreciative looks as he looked through the listings.

Atroys ordered their Tuna Tower and a fruit smoothie for Cas as well as a glass of wine for himself.

Suddenly a soft, mellow song came on. Cas had been listening to all kinds of music since his arrival, and this was one of his favorites.

"Divenire." Someone murmured and the people in the bar leaned back to listen to the composition as Cas came back to the bar and sat on a stool beside Atroys.

Atroys stroking his cheek. "Quite the choice." "I like to surprise people."

"Well, it's beautiful. Evocative." The server handed both of their drinks over and smiled.

 

"It makes me think of my childhood. How... hard it was growing up in Vos during Iacon's golden age."

"Makes sense. Divenire, you know, means becoming. It's a song about the journey of life."

Cas sipped his smoothie and listened.

The song turned over to a jazzy electric tune and their Tuna Tower came from the Sushi half of the bar. It was a beautiful, layered dish with rice, tuna, and avocado.

"Wow. It's almost too pretty to eat."

"I know, right? But it gets better. We have to chop it up and toss it like a salad." He picked up his chopsticks and waved them menacingly at the tower.

Cas eyed the chopsticks.

Atroys gave a muted Karate yell and began chopping and tossing the tower.

Cas giggled as he watched.

Atroys offered him the first bite. "Go ahead. Taste."

Cas took the bite. "Mmm. It's good."

"Excellent. I did it right then. Well, dig in or I'm going to eat it all." He playfully teased.

It took the smaller Seeker a few attempts to get the hang of the chopsticks, but once he did he was happily eating the sushi.

Atroys - contrary to his declaration - was very conscious of Cas and made sure he had the lion's share.

With the sparklet now in his tank he needed more than usual. When they'd finished the food Cas sat contentedly, sipping his smoothie.

Atroys was trying to tell a funny story, but he kept forgetting things. The end result was a joke far funnier than the original.

The blue Seeker laughed and kissed his cheek.

Atroys kissed his forehelm. "Cas... I like you a lot. I know we're different, but... Will you be my sweetheart?"

"Of course I will, Atroys," he purred.

Atroys grinned and gave him a soft peck on the lipplates.

Cas kissed him back. "How about a dance, Roy?" "Roy? Hmm, I think I like that."

"I would love to dance with you." Atroys agreed and went to the soundstage to put on something soft and sweet.

He drew Cas close and began a slow dance around the dancefloor.

A few other couples stood up and joined them while singles tapped their feet softly.

As the evening drew to a close Atroys walked Cas home, holding servos.

At the door, he stopped and held his servo close to his cockpit, seeming reluctant to let go. "...Goodnight."

Cas kissed him, just as reluctant. "You seem... tired, love. You could stay the night," he offered.

"No, I couldn't. Someone would talk and... Well, it wouldn't be right."

Cas kissed him again. "Then... I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll see you tomorrow as well." He waited until Cas was safely inside and then walked out and to his own apartment in the adjacent building.

Cas woke in a good mood and went to work humming happily. He was now the official cook at the Officer's Mess and was still setting aside what he could to save in hopes of someday having his own diner.

Rubenxia came in at lunch with her family and Cas came out of the kitchen to see his friends. "Hey, Cas." She smiled up at him.

"Hello, Rue. Can't talk long, I have to get back to the kitchen, but I thought I'd some say hello."

"Well, it's good to see you're doing what you love. What do you reccomend?"

He giggled. "If Roy was here he'd say the chicken pot pie. I added it to the menu." "Roy?" He blushed a little. "Atroys."

"Oh?" Rue smirked.

"I'll tell you about him later." He hugged Rue and Moray, blowing kisses to the sparklings, and headed back into the kitchen as a waiter came to take their drink order.

The family ordered chicken pot pies and lemonades all around. They ate happily and Rue left Cas a note asking if she could come over to gossip that evening.

Cas smiled and messaged her that he was free until eight when Atroys would taking him out.

Rubenxia appeared on her doorstep with a bottle of Guava Soda hanging from one servo.

The blue Seeker hugged her and led her into the little dining room.

"Nice place, Cas. Shame about the view."

"I don't really pay attention. I hope to be out someday, a home of my own choosing."

"Probably off Lightning Base then. Someday, Moray wants to live in Berlin.

"How far is that?"

"Not far at all. Only about a hundred miles."

Cas snorted. "Yeah not far." "Well... tell me about Atroys." He smiled. "He's... wonderful. He's so sweet and attentive. He doesn't even seem bothered that the sparkling is Megatron's. He said he can't wait to see them."

"He sounds dreamy. What character class is he?"

"A Starscream, though I'm not sure which specific one he is. I didn't ask."

"Well, does he look more like me or Roxabelle?"

"More like you."

"Then he's a G1 IDW STARSCREAM. More of a grey area."

"I've never felt this way about someone before. I can't remember ever being this happy."

"I'm glad. I was afraid, when Megatron took you, that he would stomp that out of you."

"He tried, but... it was losing my son that almost did it."

"I remember. It's terrible and I'm sorry."

"Thank you. I'm just glad this one is safe and away from Megatron."

"And he or she will be kept that way." Rubenxia toasted with her glass. "I'm glad everything is going well for you."

"Thanks."

Time passed and Cas and Atroys grew closer. Cas met many new and strange people, including Roxabelle's nemesis, Bastille, and Shiloh.

He also grew heavy with the sparkling, and his frame was struggling with it. This sparkling clearly too much more after Megatron that the first. It frightened him as he was only just past his halfway mark.

Rubenxia listened to his concern with care. "...I can see why you're worried." She tipped her cup away from her lips. "Lightning Base was built for Seekers, and we don't have facilities like other cities do. Perhaps you should go to Berlin and stay with one of our friends there until you have it. There will be doctors there, and people who can help you."

"I suppose, but my job... I'll have no money coming in, I don't want to be a burden to anyone, and... Atroys..."

"I know it's hard, but if you want the baby to be safe, there's really no choice. Lightning Base wasn't intended for emergency birth, especially not by... well, grounder biology." Rubenxia sighed and tapped her chin. "As for young Atroys, Berlin is only one hundred miles from here. Barely a blink as the Seeker flies."

"Okay. It's just... this is scaring me, Rue. I'm halfway, but I look like I did close to the end of my first carrying cycle."

"I know it is, Cas, but you have a strong spark, and I bet the sparkling does too. If you're in Berlin and complications arise, there are state-of-the-art medical facilities equipped to do emergency surgeries and infant care. And you won't be beholden to anyone. I'll put in for a transfer to the labs at the Palace and we'll be there as a family, if you don't want to stay with someone."

"Thank you." He hugged the smaller Seeker. "You'll be all right." Cas smiled, hugging him back. "Sometimes I feel like you're my mom, too," he giggled.

"Sometimes I feel like it myself." Rubenxia thumped his helm softly. "Now stop worrying."

"Yes, Mom," he grinned, optics sparkling.

"Right, enough of you." Rue playfully chased him out of the small house and gave him a peck on the cheek at the front door. "Go see Atroys."

Cas giggled and headed off to see his love.

Atroys met him at "Mother's Swing" and smiled up at Cas as he settled beside him. "Good afternoon, Cas."

"Afternoon, love." He winced. "Are you all right?" "It's the sparkling moving is all."

"How long until it arrives?"

"Another six months." His eyes widened. "You're only halfway?!" His little love looked ready to give birth any day now but he was only halfway? That was concerning.

Cas nodded. "Rue says I should go to Berlin so I can have better medical care until the baby comes."

"You should! This could be dangerous to you both."

Cas leaned on Atroys' shoulder. "I'm glad you're so supportive. I was afraid the distance would be difficult."

"Okay. I love you, Roy."

"I love you too, Cas."

So Cas moved to Berlin with Rue and her family with her transfer. She went with him to his first appointment. He ached almost all the time from the large sparkling.

It was difficult to get used to being in a human form all the time. They were so soft and fleshy. Fortunately, they were neighbors with Shiloh and Bastille and Bastille was always working on a sewing project of some kind, clothes or whatnot, so Cas was well set-up before long with loose maternity clothes made of cuddly fleece.

He was nervous going to see the doctor, which was he had asked Rue to go with him. He was wearing a soft, fleece maternity dress and grunted softly as the baby kicked.

The doctor was a small, slender STARSCREAM with a mop of silver hair and a single red lock. A Prime Starscream. "Hello, you must be Cas. My name is Doctor Helden."

"Hello." They shook hands, and Cas levered himself up with some difficulty.

"Would you like to come back into the examination room?"

"Yes. Um, can Rue come with? This is all pretty new to me. In human form anymore."

"Of course. We won't be discussing anything too shocking." Helden led them to an examination room and helped Cas sit down on a soft couch that raised itself to examination height. "I'm just going to run a few scans and project a hologram of your baby first, so we can see what's going on."

He nodded. "Okay. It's... got me pretty scared being so big already."

"Well, it happens more often than you might think." Helden assured. "I've delivered thirty babies who were too large to be born naturally, and they all lived."

"Really? Even ones this big at only halfway?"

"As I said, more common than you might think. You see, normally sparklings grow only to match their Carrier's frame size in eutero, then gain mass later, but sometimes sparklings don't recieve that vital information or can't use it. That's where we step in. We'll keep you under observation and at the last moment, we'll deliver the child into the world and keep your baby safe in a false placenta until he can be laid right into your arms."

"Mine takes after their Sire for sure." Helden smiled. "Some seem to think they need." He began scanning.

The projection was of a recognizable sparkling tucked in on himself with his little face turned outwards. The detail was amazing. "...Aww, look at him. He's perfect."

Cas felt the prick of tears and blinked, trying to hold back.

"It's okay. Everyone cries after seeing their first child." Helden comforted. "He's developing so well. I don't see any complications and he has all of his features. I think we'll give him another month, and then bring him out."

"Thank you, but... he's not my first. My first... I... I didn't even get to name him."

"I'm so sorry." Helden put a hand over his. "If you need to talk, I am available for counseling as well."

"Thank you. I just want him to have the chance extremists took from my first."

"And he will. I promise." Helden smiled.

Rue hugged him gently. "See? Nothing to worry about."

Cas nodded. "Thank you, Dr. Helden."  
"Don't mention it." Helden smiled. "I'll print you a copy of the hologram, shall I?"

 

"Yes, please. Two, if possible." "One for the father?" "Well... hopefully step-father. The Sire is back in my dimension hopefully getting his aft handed to him."

"...Wait, you're the one who saw Readyset and Domino aren't you?"

"... Does everyone know how I got here?"

Helden shrugged. "Things tend to get around. I know Domino. She's coming to the annual ball the Matra throws for the officer corps."

"I owe her a good sock in the face for throwing me through an inter-dimensional portal after threatening to kill me." "Cas," Rubdenxia said. "And then I'll pay for the repairs because it got me away from Megatron and love with Atroys."

"Then I'll see you there. Wear something nice and don't strain yourself." Helden smiled and bounced out to see to her next patient.

They left, and Cas sat heavily onto the couch back home. The sparklings nestled around him carefully. "Oh, what a nice greeting. Love!" He kissed each young face.

Henry and his sisters cooed over Cas and pressed their ears to his large, round belly.

"I think so. Atroys already said he's bringing me the hoverchair I ordered, so getting around shouldn't be such a strain anymore.

"You mean the wheelchair. They don't have hoverchairs here. Matrassons don't trust them."

"Yeah. Why is that?"

"Probably something to do with their fear of tecnichal failures. Functionally, the two are the same, but you can't fall from a wheelchair when the hoverdrive fails."

Cas nodded and tickled the sparklings. "What dress should I wear, sweetlings?"

"The blue one." Henry pointed.

"What do you think, girls?" "Red one! Red one!"

"Which do you like better, CaS?"

"How about this purple one?" He pointed to a knee length, empire waist amethyst dress with rinestone studded straps that continued on the belt of the high waist. It was of flowing material and wouldn't restrict his belly.

"Ooo... pretty." The girls smiled.

"It's your colors mixed together." "You'll look so pretty!" Henry agreed.

"Shall we order that one then?" Rue asked.

Cas nodded. "That's the one."

The dress came and Rubenxia helped Bastille fit it for Cas. "You look lovely." The other STARSCREAM smiled. "Just one little thing." She went to her jewelry drawer and opened it.

"I love it," he said, smiling down at the dress.

Bastille brought out a lotus pendant made of antiqued silver and set with amethysts. "Here we go. Lovely." She clasped it around his neck.

"Oh, Bastille... it's beautiful."

"Oh, that old thing." Bastille waved it off. "If you like it so much, keep it."

"Thank you." Rue kissed his forehead. "You're going to knock Atroys out."

Cas giggled. "I hope so."  
Shiloh knocked on the door. "Bastille? At some point, I do need to change into my tuxedo."

"Come on, lets go find a style for your hair." Rue and Cas bid them good-bye and returned to their home.

Rue helped Cas to braid his hair loosely and wrap it around his head like a crown. "You look lovely, Cas." She cooed.

They applied make-up, Rue twisted her hair up in a neat bun, and slipped into her own white dress. Moray finally knocked. "Atroys is here."

"Oh, good." Rue smiled. "Knock 'em dead, Cas."  
Atroys was fidgeting with the cuffs of a grey suit. "...Stupid cufflinks." He muttered.

Cas reached out and fixed them. "There." He looked up and took in his sweetheart.

"Oh, Cas... You look wonderful." He smiled. His hair was red and his features sharp.

"Thank you. You look very handsome, love."

"Thank you. I can't believe we're going to this. I know it's for the officer corps, but most newly-ranked don't attend."

"I'm only going because I owe Domino and Readyset something."

"Well, it'll be a good chance to meet more Matrassons."

 

"Ready?" Moray asked. Atroys helped Cas sit down in the wheelchair. "Ready."

The ballroom was full of people mingling with all levels of the officer corps. Music played softly and a podium had been set up at one end of the room. A distinct golden head and black suit wove in and out occasionally. Everyone was in their human form.

"Cas!" He turned and smiled as Dr. Helden approached. "Hello, Dr. Helden."

"I'm glad to see you taking it easy." Helden nodded approvingly. "I don't think you've met my husband, Rococo."  
A red-headed man with blue optics held out a hand. "Charmed."

Cas shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you."

General Starscream - a large-shouldered man with red hair and amber optics - walked forward with Hepburn on his arm. "Captain Atroys. I did not expect you here." There was a hint of disapproval in his voice.

"He is here for me, General," Cas interjected, curling his lip at bit as the bigger man's tone.

General Starscream cast Cas a slight glare. "...Bastille's friend, correct?"

"Yes, and we've met before. I was brought to you after arriving here courtesy of Domino and Readyset throwing me through a portal."

"Remember, Starscream?" Hepburn reminded. "Lifeguard bribed you into helping them find Rubenxia and Moray."  
"Ah. I remember. I see many people, it's not always easy to place."

"Oh, there are Domino and Readyset. I'll go get them," Helden said. It was clear Cas was impressed by the General's apparent attitude towards Atroys being present. Luckily Hepburn veered him off shortly after and she reached Domino and Readyset.

Domino had dyed black hair with a white fringe and a very modish black and white dress that revealed a little too much leg with pantalettes beneath. Her make-up was black and white bisected and made her red optics pop. Readyset - by contrast - looked very proper and elegant in his dress uniform.

They greeted the doctor. "Do you two remember the Seeker who discovered you?"

"Oh, yes, poor thing. Is he adjusting well?"

"Look over there and tell me for yourself," she said, pointing out Cas.

They turned. "Oh, hello, Cas. Doing well?"

"Yes, but there is something I owe you for all this. You were going to kill me, afterall, then decided to throw me here like it was nothing." He levered himself up with a little help from Atroys, reeled back, and punched Domino, who had made those fateful deciscions.

Punching Domino was like punching a statue. It hurt Cas's hand more than it hurt her, but she still winced back a step and rolled her head back so Cas wasn't injured.

He rubbed his hand and sat back down.

"Fair enough." Domino nodded. "Nice to meet you under better circumstances."

"It's not. I'm not going to just forget that were I not sparked you would have killed me." He wheeled away with Atroys hurrying after him and scolding him not to strain himself.

"...He realizes we wouldn't have actually killed him, right?" Readyset looked at Domino.  
"Shh! We have a reputation to maintain!" She scolded him.  
Cas found himself near a wall covered in photographs of men in uniform. Almost all of them had a date of death on their plaques.

He sighed and winced, holding his stomach. "Baby, please settle down. You're hurting Mommy."

Atroys, meanwhile, was staring up at the wall. "...Amazing how much history there is here, isn't it?"

"I can't focus right now, love, sorry." He groaned softly. "Please settle."

"I'll get you some punch. Just rest, okay, Cas." Atroys looked up and gave a quick jump towards a refreshment table arranged on the ceiling. At first, Cas had assumed the ceiling was mirrored, but there were actually other people standing up there, mysteriously unaffected by gravity. Atroys got a punch cup and served some from the bowl before jumping back down and offering it to Cas.

"Atroys, get Dr. Helden," he gasped. "Cas?" "Please, it really hurts, more than it ever has."

"I'll find him." Atroys dropped the cup and rushed off. In the meantime, a STARSCREAM in a bright red dress rushed over. She was wearing four racks of medals and campaign participation stickers - as well as four nameplates. Three were arranged down her right breast, one on her left. The one on her left declared that her name was Starsong.

Cas was clutching his stomach, gasping and panting.

"Stay calm. You're going to be all right." Starsong told him, taking his hand.  
"Starsong, what's happened?" A bright, blue-opticed STARSCREAM had come over as well. In fact, the entire ballroom was slowly turning attention and concern to Cas from the tall TBP who rushed over next to Dr. Helden herself, who came running, scanner already activated.

"What's happening?" he asked through the pain as tears now came.

"...It looks like your little one needs to come into the world a little early." Helden explained, taking the reigns of his chair. "Starsong, Ruby, with me. Grenadier, run interference." She told the Chiss hybrid, who snapped off a salute and turned back to the crowd while the three medically minded Seekers rushed with Cas out.

"A-Atroys!" He ran up alongside them. "I'm here, sweetheart. Let them take care of you, okay?"

They ducked into the first ER they found open in the medwing and Atroys had to stay outside. Equipment was rushed in, RATCHETS and PHARMAs all pitching in as Helden scrubbed in.

Rubenxia soon joined Atroys as Moray went home to the children. They waited anxiously.

At last, Helden lifted the over-large sparkling from Cas's frame.

"Get that tank and artificial placenta over here." The sparkling was settled as Cas was closed up and moved to a recovery room.

"Good Primus, he's almost as big as a toddler." Starsong murmured as she pushed in the tank beside Cas's berth. "You're a real trooper, Cas."

He smiled weakly. "Takes after his blasted Sire."

"A Megatron, was he?" Starsong settled beside his berth, sighing. "It's been a while since I performed a surgery."

"He IS Megatron, my dimensions Megatron. He's how I ended internally like a grounder, too."

"Bastard." Starsong murmured. As she did, Cas noticed that she had a pin consisting of a red outline around a white field that contained twenty stars - eight blue and twelve gold.

"Well... interesting way to meet someone," he tried to joke. Atroys, who was in the room with him, shook his head fondly.

"No problem." Starsong waved it off. "Was happy to help. Might fall asleep, if you don't mind."

Helden came in. "Not in here. Out. Lets Cas rest."

Starsong pitched an arm around her shoulder and let herself be carried out.

"She was... colorful."

"Starsong is STARSCREAM - 0076. She's very old." Atroys settled in near Cas.

"She did seem different."

"She is a little odd. She was wearing her late husbands' fruit salads. That's what it means when you're wearing a brace of them on your right side, you're wearing them for someone who can't anymore."

"Fruit salads? Why is it called that? That's a little.... weird."

"Because the thin ribbons look like colorful fruit salads when they're worn on a rack."

"That's weird." He smiled. "Yeah it kind of is, but so is life." Cas smiled. "Yeah, life is wierd."

"...What about the stars?"  
"Which stars?"

"On her pin."

"Oh, her twenty. That means that she has twenty children who have served in the military."

"... Wow."

Atroys nodded. "...Blue means they came home. Gold means they gave everything."

Cas looked at his son and remembered the one he lost.

Atroys stood up. "Rest now." He kissed Cas's forehead. "I'll see you in the morning."

"I love you." "I love you, too."

Atroys dimmed the lights to minimum on his way out.

By the time Cas was up and about, there were new problems. As always. The whole 'Scape seemed to be in a decided fuming mad mood.  
"What happened? Why is everyone so uptight?" Cas asked Rubenxia.  
"...Widowmaker." Rubenxia's optics were dark and hard. "He was in the Palace... He took Starsong."

"Someone took Starsong?! Why?!"

"I'm not really the person to ask, but..."   
The Matra stormed in, cursing under her breath. "You two saw Starsong last week, correct?"

They nodded. "She was visiting me and the sparkling," Cas said.

"Did she seem agitated? Off in any way?" The Matra helplessly waved her hands to describe what she meant.  
"No... She seemed calm. Happy even."

"I don't understand. Who's the Widowmaker?" Cas asked.

"Widowmaker. Not the Widowmaker. Widowmaker is his name." The Matra waved it off. "He's a scientist gone wrong."

"So why would he take Starsong?"

"It's less that specific victim than the Character Class she belongs too. Widowmaker is obsessed with the idea of Immortality." The Matra explained. "And he studies STARSCREAMS in an attempt to duplicate their unique spark."

"So what do we do?"

"Wait, hope, search, hunt..." A soft voice listed. "Pray... Beseech... beg... ransom..."  
"Oh, hey Thes." The Matra nodded to the living Thesaurus.

Cas shook his head. "We can't just do nothing."

"We're not doing nothing. We're assembling a Task Force, and I want you on it."

"Me? Why?"

"Because the proof is in the pudding. Come on, both of you."

"What?"

"Time is wasting! Chop-chop!" And off she went. Rubenxia and Cas had to run to keep up.

"Proof is in the- what is she talking about?"

"She's being herself." Rubenxia shrugged. "And that doesn't make much sense in the least."

"I care about Starsong, but I'm not a cop whatever. I'm a medic and cook."

"Maybe that's why?" Rubenxia shrugged.  
Two familiar faces were at the table when they burst into a conference room. Readyset and Domino were sharing one of the chairs, Domino easily sitting in Readyset's lap.

"Why am I here? I'm medic and cook, I don't do this kind of work." Cas asked when they stopped.

"Because you have opticals that skepticals and that makes you protecticals." The Matra booped his nose. "Dante is in charge, he'll do the briefing. Ta!"  
And she was gone in a poof, leaving Rue, Domino, Readyset, and Cas waiting for the rest of the task force.

"... What?!Q

"It's Mother, don't expect much sense." Readyset warned.

Cas groaned. "I'm not...." He sighed. "I don't understand fully how this place or its people work still, and I can't afford to stay. I need to try to either get my job back or get another job so I can be ready for my sparkling. I care about Starsong, I really down, but I'm not meant for this kind of work, matter what she says."

"If the Matra says it, there's a reason you're here. Probably for the sake of narrative of another player." Dante walked in holding a set of files. "Are we all here? Of course not. Where the bloody heck is Angel?"  
"Late, as usual." Domino sniffed.  
"You're not much better yourself, flipper."

Cas just started for the door. He didn't belong here. There was a reason he had been a medic and now a cook.

"Cas, please. I don't want to explain to the Matra why you're not here." Rue told him, gripping his arm. "And you will be paid, right?" She turned to Dante.

"Everyone here is going to be paid 200% of their current salary.”

Cas groaned. "No. I'm not bending over backwards to whatever she wants me to do."

"Then sit there and observe." Dante gestured to a chair. "I can think of worse things to be paid for. Ah, Anharad, you're here." A much younger STARSCREAM entered. "Any idea where Angel is?"

Cas just ignored them. He didn't want to be here where he'd have no use. He'd rather be trying to prepare himself for when he could take his baby home.

Angel floated into the room with what looked like a swagger. Immediately, Cas could tell, there was something evil about her.

His wings went rigged at once, and his platting fluffed a little.

"What did I miss?" She gave a creepy smile.  
"We've officially named the team 'Angel's Late.'" Domino snarked.

Cas stood. "Now it's called 'Cas is Leaving'." No way was he staying anywhere near her.

Rue reached out and gripped her arm, pulling Cas back down. "You show her she bothers you, and she's never going to leave you alone." She muttered.

"Let go."

"Cas, you don't understand who Angel is. Show her weakness and she strikes. Stay." Rue let go.

"Then explain who she is."

"She's from a universe colloquially known as H&D - Hope and Despair. In that universe, she was an Acolyte of Unicron - thus the name, Angel. She's a complete psycopath with a kink for power and a delight in other's pain and discomfort."

"So why is she here?"

"Like calls to like. She might be our key to finding Widowmaker, because she has a few of his psychoses." Dante told him, snapping them out of their little world. The rest of the task force had assembled. "And it's time for a brief. You all know the target: Widowmaker." Dante slapped three pictures - one of an unmasked Optimus Prime, two of a man with a thick mustache and beard in a lab coat.

Cas just kept quiet, feeling out of place and wishing they'd just suck it up and let him leave. He wasn't one of them.

"This sadistic bastard has been on the loose for far too long. Does everyone know the history?"

"Cas doesn't," someone said. He wanted to growl or just walk out. He cared about Starsong, but he had no use here. He was a medic and a cook.

"Right. Anyway, long time ago when there were only a dozen STARSCREAM character classes, we didn't know how special we were. Yadda-yadda... One day, a transdimensional ship crashed, gravely injuring one of them. Over the course of three years, he was rebuilt into Rosestorm - the first of Widowmaker's experiments. Back then, Widowmaker was a stand-up guy. Nice to everyone."

"What happened?" Cas asked, figuring he might as well be polite if they weren't going to let him leave.

"A power outage dropped all forms of life-support to Rosestorm. We thought he was a goner. Everyone was shocked when his spark stayed online - in spite of the loss of support. After that, General Starscream volunteered for the first of many experiments involving his spark. Widowmaker and his team were tasked with a technical marvel: The RESET. Something that would allow STARSCREAMS to heal their frames whenever they were forced to drop offline. There were set-backs, draw-backs, and the like, but it was completed and Widowmaker recieved grants, support, and mech-power for what would go down in history as a series of the most infamous experiments ever to be conducted. He became obsessed with Immortal Sparks. He thought this was the key, to eternal life." There was a slight scoff in Dante's voice.

Cas rolled his eyes. "This is why things like that are best left a mystery," he sniped.

"I tend to agree. Unfortunately, it couldn't be kept secret for long. When Widowmaker's obsession was discovered, we attempted to confront him, but he unleashed Rosestorm on us - and it took twelve years to break that conditioning - and escaped. He's been all over the 'Scape, setting up labs, kidnapping STARSCREAMs and conducting experiments. Most recently, he's taken Starsong."

"And how am I supposed to be of use? I'm a medic and a cook, and I'm not even a combat medic."

"You can start by running to the kitchen and getting us tea and cookies."

"I'm not your servant. I don't care who you are."

"Commander of a Task Force that you - as military personnel have been assigned to. Now if you're not going to stop whining about how unfair your life is, go get tea. If you're going to be useful, everyone start going through the security footage from this week. We need to find Starsong."

Cas walked out. He returned with a tray of tea and cookies and completely straight faced, almost serene, poured Dante's cup into his lap. "Oops. Maybe don't be mocking how unfair life can be to me, next time, Commander. Life's been the Pit for me, so keep your comments in your processor where they belong."

Dante sighed deeply. "...If you have a grievance, we may continue this at 0500 hours at the arena, for now I have had enough of your self-indulgent whining. Starsong is out there in a monster's servos and all you care about is that you're not getting enough respect? Do you know what Widowmaker does to people?" Dante stood up. He was unusually tall.

Cas didn't flinch. He was used to Megatron after all. "It's not about respect. It's the fact that I don't belong here. I have no qualifications that are of use in this situation, yet all I hear is 'because the Matra said...' or 'I don't wan to explain to the Matra..."]'. If no one can tell me why I'm here beyond she brought me here then I have no reason to stay. You all can think her word is law, but I suffered under someone who thought his word was law too long to give a damn about someone else who's seen that way and won't bother to explain why she put me here."

"I don't care why she put you here. If it was my choice, I wouldn't have you on this team at all, but I am not going to take time out to explain that our Mother makes no sense on her best day to you. Starsong is out there. Knowing Widowmaker's MO, she's been raped twice already and is on her way to becoming an abomination, so if you're not going to help." He lowered his face as close as he could to Cas's. "Then get out."

"And just how does he turn people into abominations?

"Case files are over there. Read for yourself: I mean, if you're done with this adolescent fit."

Cas sat down and ignored Dante entirely.

The first casefile had a name on it: Corpseflower.

He began to read.

Corpseflower was a G1 STARSCREAM - original name, Briarose. Widowmaker had received her as a volunteer along with Rosestorm. He had been studying the effect of STARSCREAM's sparks on healing patients with Rosestorm - and grooming her to become his bride, hopefully to get at a piece of immortality at the same time - but he had only cared about ensuring that there really was no way for them to die with Briarose.

He kept reading.

He had exposed her to Morthilium - the Element of Death. She had rotted away into a corpse and RESET over and over, until the Morthilium became a part of her genetic make-up.

There was a picture at the end, and Cas threw the file case.

It hit a SIDIOUS whose name was Yin in the back of the head and he looked up. "Huh?" He spotted the open picture of Corpseflower's final, rusted form by the time she was extracted. "Oh, yeah, that one's a wet-your-pants image." He had a slight british accent in amidst the normal Matrasson drawl.

Without a word he fled the room.

Rubenxia looked up from her data dissemination. "Cover for me, Bast."  
Bastille nodded and slid over to her station away from the old casefiles so Rue could go after Cas.

He found Cas in the bathroom, just sitting there on the floor. He wasn't crying or throwing up, both odd and impressive, but he hardly acknowledged Rue's presence.

Rue sat beside him and put an arm around him, not pulling him close, just leaving it there.

"Why can't I... connect?" he whispered.

"What do you mean?" Rue asked.

"It feels like I can't connect to this situation. All I can really focus on is getting ready for my baby. I don't understand. I should be... freaking out over Starsong and... and trying to find her. So... why can't I?"

"I don't know." Rubenxia sighed. "I wish I could help you. Maybe you should see Dr. Mindwave. You might be at a disconnect because of how strange this world is."

"But it's not like when I first got here. I don't know, Rue. Maybe it's just all that's happen in a short amount of time?"

"I get that. I'm afraid... it never really stops. This place is one crisis after another."

"Just the place to raise a family," Cas snorted.

"The Matrassons are a family! Atroys, Starsong, Dante, Domino, they're all part of this huge, messed-up, crazy family! Why can't you see that? Why don't you want to be part of that?"

"Maybe because family has never meant anything to me. My own parents sold me for energon, Rue."

"I know, Cas, and that was wrong. But you have a second chance now. We all get one. That's what this place is."

"Yeah, where people are crazy and call a woman who makes no sense to anyone but herself 'mother'." He sighed. "It's been than Cybertron, but I still feel out of place at times."

"I know... Believe me, I know." Rue pulled him close. "Now go home. You're right. This task force isn't your place. Not even I can think of a way you can help in this situation."

"Bring her home, Rue, and tear that sicko's spark out."

"I will. Oh, Domino had a present for you." She handed Cas a picture. "Said you might want to frame it."

Cas looked down at the pictured.

It was Megatron's helm, resting on his torn open and mutilated chestplate. Domino was in the picture, covered in energon and missing her left arm, but making the Victory symbol with her other hand.

"He deserved it."

"He did." Rue agreed. "And... I'm sorry. You can't keep this picture." She pulled out a lighter. "Domino's running a massive risk just bringing it to you. Taking trophies, like heads or pictures of heads, is strictly forbidden unless there's some sort of weapon attached or the picture is intended for the campaign file."

"It's okay. I wouldn't have actually kept it." He held it over the flame, and they watched it burn before Cas rose.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Cas." Rue nodded to him and stood up. "I have to get back. I left Bastille to do my work."

"Bye, Rue." Cas went home and first called back at Lightning Base on the off chance he could get his job back, though he doubted it.

Ylari picked up the phone. "Cas? You're still on Maternity Leave. Why are you calling?"

"Actually I'm not, Ylari. The sparkling came, and he's in a tank now so he can finish growing. Um... my job's not still avalible... is it?"

"Uh... Let me check records. You shouldn't be cleared to work anything for another four months and you're on paid leave, I don't see why... Oh, frag, no..." Ylari's voice became angry at once.

"What's wrong?"

"You got assigned to a TASK FORCE?! Have you got any idea how long I've been trying to get into the MIA? They have me stuck out here for God-knows how long on a listening assignment and you get on a TASK FORCE?"

"I'm not working with them. I don't know why I was put there, I'm not of any use to them, so don't worry about it."

"OH LIKE I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT ONE BEFORE! SCREW YOU, CAS!" There was a slamming clack as Ylari slammed down the reciever.

Cas trembled, feeling tears come as he slowly set down his phone. "Now what do I do?" he choked softly. He had nothing now. He'd have to take another leave once the sparkling was out of the tank so he could take care of them until they could be left with someone during the day. That made getting a new job extremely hard.

"Ylari doesn't actually control hiring. She just thinks she does." A familiar voice told him. "But... I put you on a Task Force, so I don't see why you're calling up a low-level listener."

"Why? I'm not a cop or detective. I'm not a soldier. I'm a medic and cook, and now because of you I just lost my job!"

"Hey, stupid, listen to what I said: Ylari doesn't control hiring. Your job is nice and safe."

"Thanks, with Ylari probably ready to make every minute of it miserable. Why did you put me on a Task Force?"

"I don't explain myself to anyone, and I'm not about to start with you." The Matra straightened. "Suffice to say, I see talents that others do not, and arrange the world as best fits them. If I put you on a Task Force, it was for a reason. You can accept said reason, excel, and make a life here, or you can kick against it."

The group turned when Cas walked back into the room.

It had been a long night for all of them, clearly, and no one expected to see Cas.

"I'm not like you. I'm not cut out to solves crimes... so that's not what I'm going to do. I'm a medic and a cook. My job isn't to find people or catch criminals.... it's to take care of the people who do. To take care of you."

"Finally. Wondered when you'd figure it out." Dante sighed. "Give me a medical assessment of my team and myself and then set us a schedule." He looked out the window at the risen sun. "Seems we got carried away."

"But-" Dante sighed, "Before I can do that I need to get an assessment of myself. Something is... off with me. Let me right myself or I'll be no good to you."

"What kind of assessment?"

"Mental. There's just something not... connecting. I can tell something isn't quite the way it's supposed to be or usually is."

"Dr. Mindwave." A tall man with an unusually pronounced forehead looked up from a database. "Give Cas a complete scan and therapeutic run-down, then resume your analysis."  
Mindwave stood up and nodded. "Hello, Cas."

"Hello," he returned evenly.

"My name is Dr. Mindwave. Let's go somewhere private, shall we?"

He nodded and followed the doctor. When they returned Rue approached first. "Cas?" "I'm okay. Postpatrum depression, it seems."

"A simple malady which will be cured by small doses of antidepressants and regular exercise and good diet." Mindwave explained. "I've given Cas a dietary plan, an excercise routine, and I will be available for any therapy services required, as is my duty for this Task Force."

"But speaking of diet, maybe some meal suggestions? I get the feeling we'll be meeting through some meals."

"I recommend easily digested meals with simple starches, plenty of dietary fiber, and fresh fruit instead of sugary desserts."  
"And I recommend that you shove your boring diet up your-"  
"That's enough, Angel."

"Thank you, and I meant for me to made for the group. I can eat something different, but I find it easier to focus when you're not hungry from missing a meal."

"Mindwave's reccomendation was for all of us, Cas, and in this one, isolated incident... I agree with Angel." Dante looked up. "I put our diet at your discretion."

"Very well, and don't worry, doctor, I know some healthy and delicious foods."

Mindwave nodded. "Oh. No beef. White meat."  
"Shove that-"  
"Angel." Dante gave her a look. "Again, Cas, I put that at your discretion."

"I can understand the reasoning behind." Rue smirked as she could practically see the wheels in Cas's mind turning.

Mindwave turned back to his work and Cas began the medical exams.

They met again that evening, and Cas came bearing two pans of delicious smelling chicken pot pit. The crust was thin and flaky on top Rue had brought plastic bowls and utensils.

"Halleluiah." Rubenxia pushed back from her console.

 

"Dig in," Cas said and stepped back.

"There will be no fighting over food, no matter how delicious it smells." Dante ordered his Task Force as they left their work.

 

"Exactly. "Fight over the food or throw the food and you guys will be eating take-out or nothing for a while," Cas said firmly.

The Matrassons divided the pies, not without some arguing, and everyone had their piece. There was a great deal of enjoyment from all of them, even Angel.  
"You know, I'm glad you're on this team, Mindwave." Angel suddenly said. "You were one of the first mods, right?"  
"I was. Soundwave, amplified my natural telepathy."

Cas found her saying she was 'glad' of anything a little odd.

"Who was the person who built those mods?"  
Mindwave turned to stare at her. "I thought you knew. Widowmaker, of course."  
"Widowmaker." Angel murmured, sucking on her spoon. "And he built the RESET."  
"Angel..." Dante warned.

"Just what are you implying, Angel?" Cas asked.

"He's too valuable to kill.":  
"He's too dangerous to keep alive. We've had him in custody before, Angel."

"You caught him before and didn't kill him?"

"He turned himself in, acted like he wanted to reform. He used us to get ahold of a Full Array and then left when he had finished the experiment. It gave us Nathan Sharpe, but he escaped before we could apprehend him."

"Then it seems like this time it needs to end."

Angel crossed her arms and pouted. "We are fighting a war that claims thousands every day. We don't have the luxury of conscience."

"Which is EXACTLY why it's needed or we become monsters. Don't forget, Rue and I came from war."

"He's too good of a mind to pass up, don't you understand? He's massively intelligent, makes upgrades, creates supersoldiers without a thought..."  
"He's a conscienceless, godless, monster, Angel. And you sound like you want to bond to him."  
She didn't deny it, just smirked.

"You disgust me," Cas spat and walked away to clean up the leftovers.

"You're all talk and no payoff, Angel." Mindwave stood up, facing her. "And I, personally, am sick of it. Angel of Unicron, my aft. You have no idea." He shook his head, then walked out. "Make sure you all sleep, he called over his shoulder."

They all parted for the night, and Cas waited for the morning. It was Saturday, and Atroys would be coming to see him. He smiled, eager to see his love.

Atroys arrived early. "Hello, love." He hugged Cas.

The smaller Seeker purred happily, kissing him. "I missed you, Atroys."

They spent a beautiful morning walking through the gardens and then sitting with Cas's son.

"Have you decided on a name yet, sweetheart?"

"I like Cleric. It has a cool, natural sound."

"That's a good name. Hard to believe he's so big. He's going to be a handful." "It'll be hard on my own."

"...I don't want you to do it on your own."

He nestled in. "What choice do I have, Roy?"

Atroys touched his arm with a small, velvet box. "Do it with me."

Cas's eyes widened. "Roy..." He opened the box to reveal a beautiful ring. It was simple but elegant, white gold with a single diamond in the middle of an infinity knot. "Cas, will you marry me?" "Oh, Atroys... yes."

The door burst open. "Cas! Why aren't you answering your comm?" It was Rue.

They jumped, and cas pulled out his comm. "Um... because it's dead?"

"By fragging hell, Widowmaker makes a second strike, the Task Force is out, and you're taking a day off? Why didn't you report?"

"I'm sorry. We lost track of time." He kissed Atroys on the cheek and got up to follow Ruebenxia out.

Atroys ran along. "You're on a Task Force, Cas?"

"Not by my choice. The Matra assigned me."

"You should have told me. I wouldn't have come." Atroys sighed. "Good luck. I'll see you when you're done."

He nodded sadly and followed Rue. He hadn't realized his comm had died, and he had fully planned to join them at the scheduled time. Now he couldn't even enjoy what was supposed to be a happy moment in his life. He tucked the ring into his subspace.

They transformed as soon as they were out and took to the sky. Rue led the way into the air and they rendezvoused with the rest of the Task Force en route to Bastion: The mountain keep and original capitol of the Imaginascape.

Cas quickly looked the others over for signs of injury.

"You're here for forensics." Dante explained. "There's been three murders."

"I'm not a forensics scientist, Dante."

"You're a doctor. Second best thing."

"We seriously don't have a forensics scientist?" He sighed and moved to the crime scene.  
that's now how that works

"Mindwave is here too, and Yin." Dante explained. They reached the site. "...God... it's Widowmaker's signature, all right."

 

Cas drew himself back to the war, to the horror, and move about the scene carefully.

"EMP. They overloaded to death. What a way to go." Mindwave analyzed the bodies as Yin carefully sifted for remains of the bomb.

"...Mindwave, these footprints aren't a match for Widowmaker." Yin looked up. "Come here, Cas."

He hurried over. "What do you need?"

"Look." He pointed. "Widowmaker normally doesn't leave physical marks first off, but these are clear tracks in the mud: Convoy, right up until here." At the indicated place, the marks became tapered: A triangle and a circular indentation. "Remind you of anything?"

"High heels."

"Right. And what character class is associated with high heels?"

"Starscream. Who could it have been?"

"...I don't know. Taking a wild guess? Someone young, impressionable, running with a bad crowd who disappeared recently and there was no evidence of violence so it was blamed on temporal instability. Except it wasn't instability it was..."

"Deliberate."

"Widowmaker. Exactly. What I can't seem to make sense of, is the track line. The convoy disappears suddenly, here." Yin pointed. "The STARSCREAM appears just as suddenly, mid stride."

"Then we go over who he had on hand to help him."

"...This is... not good, Cas. We don't know who Widowmaker's working with now. He's helped traffickers, drug traders, slavers... Who knows who else. And this is disturbing in right here. These tracks suggest he's managed to figure out instantaneous matter transport."

"Or he had a second Seeker here to pick him up."

"...You're right. If he had the Seeker land, went to his human mode, and climbed into the cockpit, it would be so seamless."

"Or worse." "Worse?" "He had a Seeker strong enough to carry him. Look. There's no indent of the ground for human tracks or signs of a hand on the ground for him to climb onto."

"These prints are from a G1 STARSCREAM. No way that could have lifted him." Mindwave shook his head. "But. We don't even know these tracks have anything to do with the attacker.”

"And judging from what Widowaker is capable of, who's to say he didn't enhance a STARSCREAM'S strength?"

"Then we have trouble." Mindwave agreed. "Let's get all of this back to base. ...I hate my job."

"It makes you feel better I'm pretty sure the job hates me. I didn't even get to enjoy getting engaged."

"You got engaged? Congratulations, but don't let Dante hear it. You're on Task Force duty now. I guess no one told you it was 24 hour and he's fragged off you didn't show up this morning to check in."

"Yeah, no idea until Rue burst in about two said after I said 'yes' yelling at me and telling me about this."

"Keep your comm charged from now on. Until we find Widowmaker, all of our lives are on hold."

"Once he's done so am I. I'm not running with a Task Force after. I can't put my life on hold. Not with my sparkling."

"Don't say that in front of Rue. She has three." Mindwave reminded and stood up. "Dante! We're finished here!"

"I know. Honestly I don't think she should be here for that reason."

"You will get no argument from me."

In Berlin, Bastille and Rue went through missing persons reports for other STARSCREAMS while Mindwave analyzed with Yin.

Cas wasn't entirely sure what to do. He'd never been part of something like this before.

"Woah. Hey, guys. I think I found something. Boyfriend and his girl were out walking in the woods. Boyfriend stops to take a break with nature and never comes back."

"And?"

"Boyfriend was an OPTIMUS PRIME." Yin explained. "And his footprints were found walking away into the woods, except for a brief place where they were erased through a mud patch."

"What do you think happened?"

"Look at the location of the mud patch. See these trees? If you wanted to ambush someone, it would be here. Say our boy walked from the footsteps here through the mud here and opened his fly here against this bush." Yin pointed.

"...Ewww... Men are so gross." Bastille wrinkled her nasal vent.

"But we didn't find his body," Cas said.

"No, we didn't. But if someone stepped out of these bushes and ambushed our boy while he was taking time to water the plants, they could pull them out into the mud, choke him out, and then carry him away, no big deal."

"So this begs the question... how many attackers were there really?"

"One. And if that one was the same character class as our boy - a G1 OPTIMUS PRIME - then his stride and prints would be the same as he walked away, assuming he was wearing the same boots: Combat boots."

"Good work."

"Wait. Isn't Widowmaker's target STARSCREAM character classes? Why would he pick up some OPTIMUS PRIME kid?" Rue asked.  
"He tends to kidnap his own kind as well. Perhaps because he doesn't want to risk his own spark in the testing phase of his experiments."

"Typical," Cas snorted, disgusted.

"Yep. Exactly."  
"...We have another hit."  
"Allready?" Dante bent over Mindwave's screen.  
"Yes. A bank vault was broken into by an unmasked OPTIMUS PRIME and a STARSCREAM."

"A bank? That's... cliche," Cas said.

"It is. Get this, though, the STARSCREAM does the actual robbery, the OPTIMUS PRIME seems to have been some sort of lookout and we don't get them on the same camera together. Weird. They must pass into a blind spot and the OPTIMUS PRIME gets into the STARSCREAM before they fly off."

"Did you get a look at their faces?"

"Yes... But they've been scrubbed, Cas. The only reason I'm sure it's Widowmaker is he's the only OPTIMUS PRIME I know who goes into action without his mask up."  
"Scrubbed?"  
"All identifying marks removed back down to a baseline for each Character Class."

"Smart aside from the tell of open mask."

"His mask was removed, Cas. Torn off his face. He never replaced it."  
"That and he's a narcissist. Wants everyone to know when he's responsible... takes pride." Angel explained.

"I've known those kinds."

"...Dreamy aren't they?" Angel hummed. Bastille cuffed her back into the table.  
"Ignore her." Mindwave sing-songed.  
"So, Bastion, a bank... Where next?" Dante questioned.

"Guess we'll find out."

"Anyone have a suggestion for lunch?" Cas asked.

"...No offense, Cas, but none of us are hungry." Domino sighed, running a hand backwards through her hair. "We need a clue."

"Maybe we're missing something these things have in common beside Widowmaker."

"What was taken from the bank? Besides money."  
"...Diamonds. Gems... Anything with a crystal." Mindwave continued his work through the database. "...Oh, boy... The Matra's Red Diamond Brooch. It was awarded to Pinhula for outstanding work for the next three years. It was stolen as well."

"So what would Widowmaker want with jewels?"

"Focuses. Crystals are used to focus and diffuse lasers and energy. Sparks are basically energy. He's looking for a specific frequency, he might want a focus for it."

"Focus it for what?"

"To change his own frequency, of course. To get it to that magic point where the spark shifts and comes out brilliant white."

"Or he could end up killing himself."

"....Which is why he took five OPTIMUS PRIMES recently. Test subjects."

"So how do we find out for sure?"

"We find him... using his favorite bait." Dante looked over at Anharad, the youngest STARSCREAM reading through case files with care.

"So someone plays bait."

"Yes. Anharad, how do you like sewers?"  
"...Sewers?" Anharad made a face. "As in...?"  
"As in storm drains, don't worry."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?

"Of course it isn't." Dante sighed. "But it's an idea. Let's see what Widowmaker does when his new robbery spree is presented with a STARSCREAM - young, just the way he likes them - transporting a large gem to a vault in the storm drains under Berlin. Mindwave, leak it."

"So Anharad just goes along?"

"No, you're going with her. And we're going to be surrounding in all sides, ultimate surveillance. Everything we can do to trap this bastard."

"Wait what? Why me?"

"You two are the most innocuous of us. We can't send Yin, Widowmaker knows him."

Cas sighed. "All right."

"Set it up. I want cameras in all the access elevators. I want him watched, in and out."  
"Agreed." Mindwave nodded. "...Scheduled for a week from now."  
"Plenty of time to rehearse."

Cas nodded, worrying.

The day finally came and Anharad and Cas descended into the storm drains. Their team mates were all inside and around them, keeping watch and guard.

Cas remained calm, though he could only think of Cleric and Atroys. If something happened...

Rue would take care of them. He reminded himself. And that was when it happened. A bag was tossed over his helm and something wrapped around his body, effectively mummifying him. Anharad shrieked - as was the signal - but whoever it was was fast and strong. They ran.

Ruebenxia launched into action with the others and stopped in horror at what they met. Anharad was there... but Cas was gone, mistaken for a STARSCREAM in the darkness and taken. His mind shuddered to a halt. This couldn't be happening. This had to be a dream. He must have dozed off having gotten so little sleep lately. That had to be it.

Anharad was babbling, her limbs shifting in and out of the stiff, salt that gave her her name. "It was so fast - I didn't see - and Cas is gone - it was supposed to be me!"

Rue began looking for clues. They had to find something. The alternative was unacceptable. The little blue seeker had become very dear to him, much like a son. He had to find him. For his sake, for little Cleric, for Atroys. He had to.

"Got our aggressor... you're never going to believe this." Bastille told them, reviewing camera footage. "Yin was right."  
"Yin was RIGHT?" Dante asked.  
"Well, you don't have to say it like that."

Rue rushed over at once. "Who was it?!"

"I don't have an ID, but I do have this." Bastille played the elevator footage again. "Watch. This is cool. OPTIMUS PRIME gets in, easy as a stroll..." About halfway through, the convoy shifted, armor splitting and folding, wings moving up and outwards from his back. Finally his helm spun and aerials folded in. "...And STARSCREAM gets out."

"That's... a little disturbing. Any idea how to track them so we can get Cas back?"

"Not yet. But we know how it's happening, Rue. And we know it's not Widowmaker. Look, look what the OPTIMUS PRIME does. He looks right at the camera. He knows it's there. And he does his dual switch anyway. Why would he reveal that now?"

"So does that mean there's two killers or someone was pretending to be Widowmaker?"

"There are no killers here. Just another two victims in some sick experiment, Rue. This pair are as much victims as Cas. And my guess is they're both in deep trouble when they get back to Widowmaker."

"Or Cas will be another experiment."

"...If he lives that long. I only hope he can play meek and timid. Widowmaker won't stand for spirit from someone not immediately useful."

Rue could only pray.

Widowmaker was very, very large and very angry. "You stupid glitch." He was the kind who was quiet when he was the most dangerous, and he had an EMP whip in one hand. "You just grabbed the first Seeker who came to hand, didn't even think to check." Cas was laid on the floor of a lab still tied up and the Starscream - who had reverted them both to human form at the lab, was cowering on the floor before him, crying and begging for mercy.

Cas watched the convoy, studying. Very much like Megatron, and he knew how to handle that.

"Leave her alone!" The STARSCREAM's voice changed suddenly to a deeper, more masculine tone. "You knew it was a trap when you sent us in, she did the best she could within a very small margin!"  
"Don't talk back." Widowmaker struck the unfortunate across the shoulder. "Get back in your box. Be glad I'm not in the mood right now."

He turned to the bound Seeker.

The STARSCREAM/OPTIMUS PRIME hybrid crawled into a small crate and pulled the heavy door shut. Soft weeping filled the otherwise quiet lab as Widowmaker took a deep breath and steepled his fingers. "I'm sorry you had to see that. Dealing with pets, one has to be firm."

"You seem to have them well in hand."

"Well, I've had almost five million years to practice." Widowmaker lifted him. "You're a RANDOM CLASS. Never seen you before."

"I'm from another dimension actually."

"An Adopt, then. The Matra and her sentimentality." Widowmaker lifted Cas onto a table. "You can stay sitting up. I just want a few scans. Scientific curiousity is all."

"I'm used to it. My Lord Megatron had me rebuilt internally to carry and birth like a grounder."

"Megatron certainly has some interesting ideas. Shame there's no goals." Widowmaker gestured around. "Not like these." He had three other STARSCREAMs strapped down to tables, and another single OPTIMUS PRIME. "If only I could find a way to stop them overloading as the change is taking place. Pity."

"What will you do with me?"

"Depends. I don't really need any new pets, and I have no interest in procreation. I suppose you could be a charming extra, for the moment. But I'm tired. Even genius needs rest." Widowmaker opened a box beside the one with the whimpering STARSCREAM. "Don't make me stuff you in."

"Surely even a genius needs to let off steam. Doesn't need to lead to sparklings."

"Sweet. A nice thought. Might be a nice change to have someone spread out for me willingly." Widowmaker let the box fall shut. "Hop up on an examination table."

He obeyed and gave the convoy a soft, seductive look.

Widowmaker climbed on top of him. He had whisps of silver at his temples and in his facial hair.

"Shame you don't want little ones, a handsome thing like you," Cas purred, playing his part.

"Don't be too much of a sugarlips, Cas." Widowmaker kissed his lips.

"Sure thing."

He was a good, if slightly uncaring lover. He certainly didn't leave Cas wanting.

Cas pushed down his disgust, knowing this meant survival."

Afterwards, he opened the box and slid Cas in, leaving the lab.

Used to such torture from Megatron Cas just himself doze.

In the other box, the deep voice was trying to sooth the higher voice.

He sighed softly.

"Look, there's someone new. Let's say hi to him. Come on." The deep voice encouraged.

"How you doing?" Cas asking.

"...Wonderful. How's... your day?" The high voice was shaking.

"Considering where I am... could be better."

"We're Phila and Scott respectively. Pleased you could join us in these lovely accomodations." The deep voice spoke.

"I'm much rather be at home or sitting at the hospital with my baby as he grows in his tank."

"Yeah, well, I'd rather be walking with my girlfriend... Only I suppose she can't be my girlfriend any more."  
"And... I'd rather be reading... or making soup..."

"Why can't she be your girlfriend, Scott?"

"Because I'm part and parcel with Phila now... and death can't really part us."

"You guys don't seem so bad. There's someone who love you both, I'm sure of it. I never really thought I'd find someone willing to love an adopt like me who was pregnant by my dimension’s own Megagtron., but I did."

"...We found someone already..."  
"Each other."  
"We... may not have... chosen this..."  
"But it doesn't make a difference."  
"...We'll never be lonely again." Phila whispered it like a prayer.

"Being lonely can be the worst thing," Cas said knowingly.

"You were lonely... too?"

"It was easy to be lonely during Iacon's Golden Age when you're a Seeker. Sure you see a lot of mechs, but you don't know them. They don't know you and don't care to. You're a Seeker so you're trash to be used until you break then thrown away."

"...Seeker..."  
"Phila thought you were a Starscream. Explains it."  
"...I'm a student... I don't like people... can't trust them."  
"I used to try and connect to other people, but it never helped. I don't want people like that. But this... Phila's different."

"Finding someone who really understands... that changes everything. Me... I found the Seekers banding together under Starscream and Megatron. Before the war Starscream, Rubenixa here, took me under their wing. Before that I was just... trash. Working the streets just get energon after my own parents sold me when I was a sparkling."

"That's horrible. We're glad you're here." Phila seemed to have fallen quiet, just listening. "Well, not here... per se. But here in the 'Scape."

"Thank you."

"So... Who's in charge? If that's not a bad thing to ask."  
"In our Cybertronian form? Phila is. In our human form? I am." Scott explained.

"Why's that?"

"We're not sure. Phila's a STARSCREAM and they're well known to be indomitable. I think that's what Widowmaker is trying to do: Put an OPTIMUS PRIME's processor in charge and control of a STARSCREAM's spark, but it's back-firing on him."

"Good."

"I know. It's great. You should see him frustrated. He beat our sternum in."  
"...Haven't laughed so hard... in ages..."

Cas found himself smiling despite himself.

"He's a real treasure. You should try to keep him."  
"Well, I wouldn't want to step on Angel's toes."  
"Ooo... Yeah, if Angel wants him, get out the way."

"Well she can't have him. He dies if I have to rip his spark out myself," Cas growled.

"...Widowmaker... always escapes..." Phila pitched in.

"We'll find a way."

"...Find a way..." And she was silent for the rest of the night. Scott shifted slightly, holding his arms close to his frame and cooing to himself.

Cas sighed and curled up.

In the meantime, the Task Force was closing in on Widowmaker's laboratory. The Matra had given them some direction and they had isolated a series of power surges that were too regular to be explained away. "...I don't understand it. Why doesn't Widowmaker use better disguising tactics for his power usage?"  
"He wants to be found." Angel told Rue, sighting down the barrel of a gun. They were suiting up for the operation.

 

"Of course that means he's planning something, which is always bad."

"Of course he's planning something. Isn't he always? Look, you know the pattern. Widowmaker makes a slip-up every time he's completed an experiment and the results are always useful. He's a genius, and he wants to be recognized. I can't wait to see what he wants to show us this time." Angel smiled.

"You realize that we've finally been ordered to kill and not capture right?"

"We've had that kill order for years... and we haven't managed it. This time won't be different." Angel spun the gun and holstered it.

"Angel, our orders are to kill, so if you get the shot you shoot to kill him."

"Oh, I'll shoot. Don't worry."

 

"Good. It's time this nightmare ended."

Widowmaker was packing. In fact, he was humming under his breath as he worked.

He had let Cas out again for another romp and was in a good mood.

"...And that's it." He announced when he had loaded the last crate through a subspace pocket. "Now, there's going to be a Task Force, your Task Force - and yes, I know all about that - bursting in at any minute. You can all sit and be quiet in your boxes, no one gets hurt."  
Phila was crying again, Scott shushing her.

"Perhaps we should pair up should they look in some boxes, less chance of being found," Cas suggested.

"Good idea. I don't think. I'm leaving you behind. A dual-spark system is my latest and greatest, after all. Can't have that going unnoticed."

Cas shuffled in with Scott and Phila.

At that moment, the door burst inward and Widowmaker rushed towards a door leading out of the lab.

A single shot was fired.

It caught him in the back and he went down. Angel was holding a smoking gun. The STARSCREAM had come directly while the rest of the Task Force circled. Bastile entered next and pulled open Cas's box. "Cas!"

"Bastile!" He hugged the other. "I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a familiar."

"I've never been so happy to see you."  
"Don't forget us." Scott spoke up.

Cas stepped out of the box and was nearly bowled over by Rubenxia. "Gack! Rue, can't breathe."

"You're alive!" Rue swung her about.  
In the meantime, Bastille had managed to get the other box open and pulled out Phila and Scott. She swung her jacket around their naked body. "Well, we'll have a lot of talking to do at base, but congratulations: You lived."

"I might still die if Rue pops my head off."

"Rue, save some enthusiam for Widowmaker." Bastille reminded her as Rue loosened her grip only slightly.

"And I need my head. I'm sure Atroys will try to pop it off, too, though."

Rubenxia set him down. "I'm so glad to see you. Angel! Cuff the corpse and put him in a bag. Let's go!"

"Angel? Hey, did you hear me?"

"...Slag where'd she go?" Bastille stared the way Widowmaker had been headed. "Rue get Cas and this one back to the transport and out of here."

Cas bolted past after Angel.

He found Angel straddling Widowmaker, who was gasping. Angel turned abruptly and threw up a servo, trapping Cas in a sudden wall of tentacles. "Don't interfere!"

"What the hell are you doing, Angel?!"

Angel, though, ignored him. "...Hey, hey, listen to me!" She ran servos over Widowmaker's windshield. "You're dying." Light filled the room as she opened her spark chamber. "Stay with me."

Cas struggled desperately to get free. He couldn't let her save that monster.

Widowmaker's own chestplates parted slowly as Cas fought the clutching tentacles. Bastille caught up. "Cas! Angel, no!"  
Angel laid directly over Widowmaker without preamble, bringing their sparks together and diving into a merge.

Bastile rammed her, knocking her off of Widowmaker.

But it was too late. Their sparks were already retreating and Widowmaker scrabbled, life coming slowly back to his limbs.

 

"Angel, you stupid-"

"Who's stupid?" Angel hissed, pitching Bastille off. "I got exactly what I wanted. Exactly what I was meant to get. I was put on this team because I'm the only STARSCREAM in existence crazy enough to do this."

"He should have died!"

"Perhaps he should have, but now he can't." Angel vented heavily. "I did my job."  
Bastille growled. "I should shoot you both for treason."  
"Go ahead. I'm a five second RESET."

Cas, free again, stormed away, fuming. There was no way the Matra didn't know. She had done this on purpose, and he hated her for it.

Somehow, he managed to keep that good fume up until he was in the Matra's office for debriefing.

He didn't care for her reasons. Widowmaker had no business being alive.

"Thank you, Angel. You can go. You and your new husband will be kept under absolute security at the Garden. Dr. Mindwave, you may escort both now."

Mindwave stood up and nodded, leading Angel out. Widowmaker was in heavy chains, following them.

Cas longed to leave as well. he wanted as far away from them as he could possibly get.

The doors closed slowly and Cas and the Matra were alone. "...You're angry."

"Of course I am. You knew she'd do that. There was no way you didn't know. So why? He has no business being alive after all he's done."

"...One sin." The Matra stood up and went to the window, looking out.  
"What?"  
"One sin separates the sinner from God."

"What does that have to do with this?"

"Because God didn't accept that answer. He sent someone to build a bridge, break down the wall, and bring his children home."

Cas sneered and walked out. "I'm done with you."

The Matra watched him go. She didn't stop him. That wasn't her job. With a sigh, she opened the locket around her neck. Sensing her thoughts, it projected an image of her prodigal son. "...I love them all equally. I cannot love him less, even after everything. Blessing and curse. He will understand someday, perhaps. When his son grows up."

Cas did not return to work with the Task Force. He outright refused.

It didn't matter. The Task Force was disbanded and Atroys and Cas were free to marry soon after. Then, after twelve years of saving, searching, and making ends meet, he was able to accomplish his dream.

Cleric eagerly ran to the window to the turn on the 'open' sign at his mother's word, squirming with excitement for their grand opening.

"I still think we should at least send an invitation to Mother and set her a place." Atroys told Cas as they looked around at the fully-booked restaurant. "It doesn't have to be fancy, but it's tradition."

His wife sighed. "Fine. Windsong! Nightwish! Sit down!" he scolded his and Atroys little Seekerlets, who were jumping in a two person booth.

"Oh, and I got RSVPs from everyone who was on your old Task Force. They're all excited for a reunion." Atroys walked back into the kitchen to make sure the staff were ready.

Cas stiffened as he thought about Angel. He has no desire to see her or Widowmaker. It was still an uncomfortable topic.

Luckily, the insane scientist was unlikely to be let loose for an event like this. It would be ludicrous for Dr. Mindwave to allow it.  
Atroys set up a table with a single plate and setting on it, then arranged a rose, a service cap, a small dish of salt, and a lemon slice in front of it. "Mother's table" the Matrassons called it.

One by one they began to arrive. The diner was large but had a very homey and comforting feel about with a rich smell in the air from the kitchens.

Then, Rue and Moray, and their children arrived. "Cas!"

He smiled and hugged them. "Welcome," he said, beaming.

"Your diner looks amazing, Cas!" Rue kissed each cheek. "Bastille is going to flip when she sees you took her advice about the countertop!"

"It made it all come together. It took a long time, but it's finally here."

Bastille arrived next with her husband, Shiloh, and Anharad. "Cas, it's so good to see you blooming." She kissed each cheek.

He grinned and lightly patted his middle where another little femme rested and grew.

"I'm so jealous. I can't wait for our first." Bastille smiled and leaned into Shiloh.  
Domino and Readyset were arguing, loudly, when they came in. As always.

Cas gave them both a swat. "Hush, you. Honestly, leaving your bickering for private and not in my diner," he scolded.

"I keep telling Domino that foreplay belongs in a bedroom, but you know her." Readyset smiled down at his wife.  
"Right, Readyset, you tell me that. Oh, I believe you." They slid into a booth to cuddle.

"None of that around the little ones. You can cuddle at home and not in my diner, understood?"

"I can't even hold my husband in public now! Censorship, people!" Domino called after Cas as he went to greet Yin, who had turned out to be a talented artist and helped them with the design of the diner.

Cas just waved back at her, and she huffed with a fond smile.

After Yin came the rest of the team and after them, Roxabelle and Mindwave. "Cas." Mindwave lifted a hand and beckoned. "I need to talk to you."

 

"What is it?"

There was an armored van outside with The Garden's symbol etched onto the side.

He looked at the therapist. "Absolutely not."

"Cas... He's changed. Drastically. He submitted the mnemosurgery. He'll never be anyone but himself, but he won't hurt you or anyone else."

"I don't want THEM here. Him or her."

"Cas, please. I am a doctor. The last thing I want is people hurt, but I have a duty to patients and in order to continue the healing process, Angel and Widowmaker have to reconnect to the larger family. That means that both of them need to apologize and be forgiven."

"Not in my diner."

"Then I respectfully request that you get in my van."

"And I request that you get out of my diner. Now."

"Cas... There's another guest in the van. One you did invite."

"Who?"

"Roxabelle. She and those two as you put them, are linked together. They have to either come in as a group or stay out as a group."

"Linked how?"

"Energic manacles. Standard issue leather and steel cuffs. The works."

"Why is Roxabelle cuffed?"

"Because she's not allowed to roam outside of Lightning Base. She's Absolute Security, just like Angel and Widowmaker are."

Cas bristled. "Get. Out. I don't care if you think I should forgive them. I can't. I've forgiven too much over my life. I can't keep doing it. I can't keep forgiving monsters."

"...Monsters." Mindwave straightened. "I will get out. I will leave. You will never see or hear from me or my charges again. But when I go in there and I tell Roxabelle you didn't want to see her, she's not going to understand that it's her cellmates you object to."  
"And why wouldn't she?"  
"Because the only thing that seperates her and Widowmaker is a set of Military conventions."

The Seeker shoved Mindwave as he walked past him outside

Roxabelle was cuffed and manacled, just like Mindwave said. Angel and Widowmaker were sitting opposite and they were racked together. Angel gave Cas a shameless wave as Roxabelle reclined, servos in her lap. "...Hey, Cas. Heard you were having a party." She gave him a jaunty smile.

"Something like that, Rox," he said, ignoring Angel and Widowmaker.

"So... We getting out or is this more of a duck in affair?"

Cas sighed. "Come in." He glared at Mindwave as he led them in.

Mindwave nodded and smiled his inscrutable smile. They took a round booth in a corner and Roxabelle stared around the place, smiling. "You know, the Officer's Mess hasn't been the same ever since you left."

"Yeah well, things changed for me."

"I get that. Just don't ever let me catch you around The Garden. Hey, Mindwave keeps talking about monitored visits. Maybe I'll get to see you."

"Maybe." He retreated as soon as he could, and Atroys came to him, hugging gently. "You okay?" "No. I can't believe Mindwave brought Angel and Widowmaker. I'd love to knock his teeth in for that."

"...Just saying... I bet it wasn't his idea."

His wife growled into his chest. "Well then I'd love to know HER teeth in for that."

"She'd probably just duck." Atroys reminded, patting Cas's back. "Now come on, food to serve."

"Remind me to spill her drink on her then," he said as he went back to work.

Atroys shook his head. At the height of the lunch hour, when the talk and laughter was loudest, a sudden hush fell over the restaurant.

Cas wanted to growl just to shatter it but kept quiet.

The Matra had stepped into the cafe. She began walking slowly about it, stopping at every table, squeezing every shoulder and saying every name. A quiet reverence filled the room.  
"...She actually came." Atroys breathed to Cas.

"Do me a favor, honey, and don't faint." "Ouch." He sighed and kissed his husband's cheek. "I'm sorry, Roy. I just..."

"I know. You don't understand." Atroys nodded. "It's okay." And he went to be greeted by his Mother, who pecked him on a cheek and let him lead her towards her own table, but she stopped at the one occupied by a psychologist and three mental patients first. She squeezed their hands and smiled at them all. There was no more love in her gesture than there had been for Phila and Scott, who had sat near the door, but no less.

Cas finally approached once she'd sat down to greet her as was expected of him being the owner. He still did not call her 'mother'.

She looked up and smiled at him. "Hello, Cas. Nice place you have here." Now that this bizarrely ritualized greeting was over, conversation returned to normal and the diners to their food. "I'm glad... you served them." She nodded to the large booth where Mindwave had removed all knives and forks from the patients' reach and was cutting their chicken for them. "I know it wasn't easy."

"It's not. Rox is a friend, and I wanted her here. The others... shouldn't be."

"Why?" She asked softly.

 

"You know why I don't want them here."

"Because you witnessed Widowmaker's brutality, you feel it more strongly. Perhaps you should ask Roxabelle how many she has killed or interrogated. But I won't argue this. The simple fact is they are here, they were served, and I am grateful for it."

"I never said she was a saint. I'm not either. The difference? I'd actually trust Roxabelle if I needed her help."

"I won't argue with you. If you don't understand yet you will in time, or you won't, as you see fit. I do not have to justify myself to you. I make no claims that I have done the right thing on every occasion. My judgment is flawed when it comes to my children."

"On that we can agree." He snatched the twins away from the corner table. "Leave them alone, you two. Go by Daddy." "Yes, Mama." "They've been going around." "I know, and every time I turn to catch them they're somewhere else in the diner."

The Matra smiled her secret smile as Cas was whisked away. "...Oh, yes, you'll understand in time."


End file.
